In My Veins
by ShastenRothe
Summary: It was no secret that Will Halstead and Natalie Manning were falling head over heels in love with each other. Natalie remained cautious, wondering if anyone could fill the void in her heart, but after being stood up by Will, she finds herself questioning her choices. However, a grim discovery might change it all.
1. Falling In Love at A Coffee Shop

Forgive me if the formatting is a little out of whack...not used to posting from a Chromebook. This will be my first Chicago Med fic of many. I'm Team Manstead all the way. This story will feature mainly Will, Natalie, Jay, Erin, Connor, as well as other Chicago Med and Chicago PD characters. I largely write dramatic/angsty stories, but will add in the fluff as needed. Some strong language will be featured in various chapters. I apologize in advance if this offends anyone. Read and Enjoy!

* * *

Will Halstead groaned as his alarm clock beeped loudly, waking him from a deep sleep. He stifled a yawn as he blindly swung as at his nightstand in hopes of connecting with the clock's snooze button, but failed miserably as it fell to the floor. With a sigh, Will climbed out of bed and pulled on a stray pair of sweatpants before heading out into the hallway. The heavenly aroma of freshly brewed coffee, eggs, and bacon hung in the air as he stumbled into the kitchen.

* * *

" Your girlfriend is amazing," Will said to Jay who was sitting at the kitchen counter.

" What makes you think Erin made breakfast?" challenged Jay as Will popped bread into the toaster.

" Dude, last time you made breakfast I had to call off work because I was so sick."

" You had the flu," Jay stated as he snatched a piece of toast out of the toaster.

" I wound up in the ER with food poisoning," Will argued as he took Jay's seat.

So did Erin."

" What about Erin?"

" The omelette incident," stated Will as Erin Lindsay came into the kitchen, her hair damp from the shower she had just taken.

" I don't think I've ever been so sick in my life," groaned Erin as she took a seat beside Will.

" Hey man, turns out I don't need a ride home from work tonight," Will explained to Jay as he stood and refilled his coffee mug.

" Is your car finally out of the shop?" Jay asked, reclaiming his seat.

" Actually, Natalie and I are going out to dinner after work."

" That's the third time this week. Sounds like things are getting serious," Erin pointed out.

" She's taking me out to dinner to apologize for Owen projectile vomiting on me the other other day," explained Will innocently as he put his empty coffee mug in the sink. The clock above the stove read 6:22 A.M.

" You better not have used all the water," Will shouted as he headed back down the hallway.

* * *

Nearly half an hour later Will stepped into the ER and was greeted with instant chaos.

" Maggie, what's going on?" he asked as he approached her.

" Some dumbass junkie led the cops on a wild goose chase and plowed his car into a crowded Starbucks."

" Let me go change real quick," replied Will as he headed for the locker room. He hurriedly changed out of his jeans and shirt then shoved everything in his locker.

" Dr. Halstead, incoming!" Maggie shouted as he exited the locker room. The doors to the ambulance bay slid open as a stretcher was pushed in, accompanied by a police officer.

" Is this the driver?" he questioned as he grabbed a pair of gloves. The officer nodded as Will followed them into Exam 5.

" What's your name sir?"

" Santa Claus. I'm Santa Claus you fucking moron!" the man screamed.

" Do you know what he's on?" questioned Will.

" No and good luck getting it out of him. Whatever he took did a number on him," answered the officer as he stepped aside.

" My bag! My bag! Where's my bag?!" the driver exclaimed as he sat up, attempting to rip off all of the wires and IVs he was attached to.

" April, get me some Haldol STAT!" Will ordered as April walked in. The man began visibly calmer as the medication began coursing through his veins.

" Is he going to make it?" questioned the cop.

" From the looks of it, other than the fact that he's high as a kite, he'll be okay. April, order a full blood workup including a tox screen and a CT as well."

" Here's that bag he was looking for," remarked the officer as he pulled a bag from the bottom of the gurney.

" What's in the bag?" Will asked as he grabbed it from the officer.

" No clue," he answered as Will pulled back the zipper.

" Well, well, well. I think this answers our questions in regards to what he's high on," Will observed as he opened the bag that happened to be stuffed full of Crystal Meth.

April, make sure Jolly Old St. Nick's bag of goodies doesn't leave the custody of Officer...Drew here. I'll be back in a few minutes to stitch him up," Will exited the exam room and made his way to the nurse's station. He was so busy entering information into the system that he didn't spot Natalie as she approached him.

* * *

" Hey, I heard you have the driver," she commented as she tapped away on her tablet.

" And his duffel bag full of Crystal Meth. The bastard is probably going to walk away with a concussion and some stitches."

" I've got a barista covered in 2nd and 3rd degree burns."

" Damn," Will replied as he placed his tablet on a charger and headed towards a supply cart in search of a suture kit.

" So Jeff's mom is going to keep Owen tonight while we're out," mentioned Natalie.

" And that's not a problem for her? Us spending time together?" Will questioned as he grabbed a suture kit and turned back around to face her.

" I think she's just happy to see me happy," Natalie responded as Will leaned into her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

" Dr. Manning! We need you in Trauma 2!"

" See you later," Will said as he wistfully watched Natalie walk away.

* * *

" Hey man." Will looked up from where he was sitting to find Jay and Erin standing in front of him.

" You guys lost or something?" joked Will.

" We're looking for Trevor Isaac," responded Erin.

" Trevor who?"

" Trevor Isaac. The driver from the crash this morning."

" Oh! You mean Jolly Ol' St Nick?" Will asked as he stood.

" Huh?"

" He told me his name was Santa Claus before we had to knock him out with Haldol," said Will with a laugh.

" What are the extent of his injuries?" asked Erin as Will lead them towards Exam 5.

" Mild concussion and various cuts. What's Intelligence got in all of this?" asked Will as they paused in the hallway.

" Not only is that bag full of Crystal worth a quarter of a million dollars, but Mr. Claus is connected to one of the biggest meth trafficking rings in the city," explained Erin.

" Looks like someone is getting a stocking full of coal," remarked Will as he entered the room.

" Mr. Isaac, are you feeling any better?"

" Who in the hell told you my name?"

" I'd like you to meet Detectives Halstead and Lindsay. They'd like to ask you some questions."

" You two brothers or something?"

" Never seen him before in my life," quipped Will as he exited.

* * *

 _I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you_  
 _Yes there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you._  
 _I've seen the paths that your eyes wander down_  
 _I want to come too_

 _I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you...  
_ ~Landon Pigg~ Falling In Love In A Coffee Shop~


	2. The Way It Ends

_I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter. I should have the next chapter up in a few days! Read, review, and as always, enjoy!_

* * *

" What smells?" Maggie asked as Will approached her many hours later.

" Pablo emptied his stomach contents all over my shoes," Will responded in disgust.

" Pablo's still alive? I thought he died last winter."

" He's very much alive and quite possibly the drunkest he's ever been."

" Do yourself a favor. Go home and shower before you take Natalie out tonight," advised Maggie.

" How did you…"

" I'm not blind Halstead. Everyone in the hospital knows you two have been seeing each other. Just know if you break her heart, I'll break you."

* * *

" Have a good night Maggie."

By the time he reached his and Jay's apartment, the scent of vomit seemed to have penetrated every pore of Will's body. He tossed all of his clothes AND his shoes in the washer then headed for the bathroom. Will climbed into the shower and turned the water on full blast. He lathered his hair with a liberal amount of shampoo before scrubbing his body head to toe with his favorite body wash. Once he was sure he didn't reek of 'Pablo,' Will climbed out of the shower, drying himself off with a towel as he headed to his bedroom. The sound of his iPhone pinging caught his attention, signaling that someone was attempting to Facetime him. A smile spread across his face as he opened up the message from Natalie.

" Hey you."

" Tell me you're not sitting there waiting on me."

" I actually just got out of the shower," Will answered matter of factly.

" Sorry...I didn't realize you were…" Natalie stammered as her face turned red.

" I had to come home and shower first so I didn't smell like Pablo," explained Will as he towel dried his hair.

" Pablo's still alive?"

" Alive and full of vomit," he said as he tugged on his jeans and boxers.

" I'm just getting ready to leave," Natalie replied as Will pulled on a white long sleeve dress shirt and boots.

"I'm getting ready t head out too," responded Will as he carried his phone back to the bathroom where he carefully propped it up so he could see Natalie while he fixed his hair.

" Gel or no gel?"

" Gel," Natalie answered.

" You know, you've spent this whole time watching me get dressed and here I have no clue what you're wearing."

" Patience isn't one of your best virtues, is it?"

" You should know better by now," Will joked as he ran his fingers through his hair one final time.

" You should wear your hair like that more often," pointed out Natalie as Will walked into the kitchen where his wallet and keys were sitting on the counter.

" I don't know about you, but have you ever had hair gel melt into your eyes in the middle of a trauma?" Will asked as he walked out into the hallway, locking the apartment door.

" There's a reason why I don't wear much makeup to work," Natalie reasoned.

" You're beautiful without it," replied Will, causing Natalie to blush once again.

" You're not so bad yourself," Natalie said as Will walked out of the apartment building and onto the street.

" As much as I'd love to flirt with you over Facetime, I need to dig out my EL pass," Will answered.

" See you soon."

* * *

" See you," responded Will as he hung up, his heart fluttering. He so desperately wanted to tell Natalie how much he truly loved her, but at the same time found he knew he needed to take things slowly out of respect for both Natalie and Owen. A smile spread across his face as he slid his phone in his pocket. Will paused at the bottom of a flight of stairs that led to the train platform. He was so distracted that it took him a few seconds to realize someone was standing directly in front of him.

" Can I help you?" asked an irritated Will as he tried to step forward.

" Turn around and start walking," growled the man.

" What the hell?"

" I said start walking!" the man ordered as he jammed the cold barrel of a gun into Will's back.

" What's this about? If you're after money, I'm broke," Will said with a nervous laugh.

" I'm not after your money William. Turn down that alley."

" How do you know my name?"

" None of your damn business. Shut your mouth and keep walking." Will could feel his heart pounding rapidly as they stopped near the alley's end.

" My brother...he's a cop."

" I told you to stop talking!" shouted the man as he cracked the butt of his gun against Will's head. Stars clouded Will's vision as blood began trickling down his face.

" Is this what it's all about? You want to fight?" Will swung and delivered a strong right hook to the man's face. He immediately realized he had broken the man's nose as an audible cracking noise filled the silence and blood began pouring out the man's nostrils.

" You shouldn't have done that," he spat, shoving Will against the brick wall behind them, kicking him in the chest as he did so. Will could feel all of the air escaping his lungs as he struggled to breath.

" It's been fun, but I've got...somewhere to be," gasped Will as he wiped blood off his face with his shirt sleeve.

" Nice try. You're not going anywhere," stated the man as he charged towards Will, now armed with a large switchblade. A searing pain brought Will to his knees as the knife penetrated his side. He began to slump over, but felt the man grab him by the shoulder. Once again Will felt the knife slicing through his flesh as the man looked into his eyes.

" Tell Jay I said thanks," said the man as he pulled the knife out of Will's chest and walked away.

* * *

Natalie Manning nervously played with her necklace as she sat on a bench near the restaurant that she and Will were supposed to be having dinner at. Her watch read 6:25. Will was supposed to be meeting her before 6:00p, yet there was no sign of him. She had called his cell phone several times, but got no answer. A pit formed in her stomach as she stood and headed for the train. After Jeff had died she wondered if she would ever find someone to care so much about her. Natalie had thought WIll might just fill that void, but now she wasn't so sure. She paused a few feet away from the train station, suddenly having a change of heart. She was only a few blocks away from the police station where the Intelligence Unit was housed. Maybe Jay had heard from his brother.

* * *

Will found his mind reeling as he slowly emerged from the darkness and regained consciousness. The vicious pounding in his head paled in comparison to the excruciating pain that seemed to consume every inch of his chest. Will instinctively placed his hands over the wounds, attempting to staunch the blood that was saturating his shirt. The effort proved fruitless as blood pooled around him. Will was almost certain his left lung had been punctured as he found it increasingly harder to breathe. He reached for his back pocket, but found his cell phone was nowhere to be found. Great. He had been stabbed AND robbed. He closed his eyes, doing his best to formulate a coherent thought. Will knew he needed help. He refused to bleed out in an alley. A wave of exhaustion overcame him however, derailing his train of thought. Maybe he could just close his eyes for a minute before trying to find help. Maybe...

 _This is the way it ends_  
 _Don't tell me it's meaningless_  
 _There'll be no compromise_  
 _We fall and we too shall rise_  
 _You held me and taught me how_  
 _I think I am ready now_  
 _If this is the way it ends_  
 _This is the way it's meant to be_

 _Under my skin they fade away_  
 _Here's to life with no regrets_

 _See you again all one day...  
~Landon Pigg~ The Way It Ends_


	3. In My Veins

Five minutes later, Natalie found herself in the lobby of the relatively quiet police station.

" Can I help you?" asked an officer who sat behind the front desk.

" Is Detective Halstead still here?"

" I believe he's still upstairs. What's your name please?"

" Natalie. Natalie Manning."

" Have a seat. I'll let Detective Halstead know you're here."

" Thanks," she muttered before taking a seat on a nearby bench. As she sat, her thoughts began wandering. Why had she come to the police? She had been stood up, not robbed. Natalie stood up and placed her purse over her shoulder. The sound of footsteps approaching her from behind stopped her in her tracks.

" Natalie? What are you doing here?" asked Erin.

" I was just leaving actually," she said as an alarm buzzed and Jay stepped into the lobby.

" What's going on? The desk sergeant you were looking for me?" Jay said.

" It's really nothing…" she started.

" Is Will with you?" asked Jay.

" No...I was hoping you had heard from him or seen him."

" I haven't seen him since this morning at Med," Jay replied hesitantly.

" He never showed for dinner and he isn't answering his cell," said a worried Natalie.

" Come upstairs with us," Jay instructed.

" He stood me up Jay. It's not like he robbed a bank or something."

" He likes you too much to stand you up," interjected Erin.

" Do you think something happened to him?"

" I think you need to come upstairs with us so we can check some things out."

* * *

Natalie followed Jay and Erin through the metal door then up the stairs. As they walked, Jay repeatedly dialed Will's cellphone number, each call going unanswered.

" When's the last time you heard from him?" Jay questioned as they stepped into the Intelligence office.

" We FaceTimed each other because we were running late. He mentioned having to change his clothes and shower because he smelled like vomit," Natalie explained.

" Let me see your phone," instructed Jay.

" Can you trace it?" asked an anxious Natalie as she handed Jay her cellphone.

" I'm going to try," Jay responded as Erin plugged the phone into her computer. The three stared anxiously at the computer screen as information scrolled across it. Several minutes passed before a green light flashed on the computer.

" Did it work?"

" It looks like the last place Will used his cell was near the train station a few blocks from the apartment."

" He told me he had to hang up so he could find his EL pass," Natalie replied as Jay pulled a device out of a desk drawer.

" What is that?"

" It's a GPS tracker. I can input Will's last known location then follow his steps via his phone's GPS. It should lead us right to him," explained Jay as he grabbed his sweatshirt and keys. Erin quietly grabbed her coat and followed Natalie downstairs then outside to Jay's SUV. Natalie could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she buckled herself into the backseat. Will had to be okay. He had to be.

* * *

Jay, Erin, and Natalie rode in silence as they all kept a close eye on a red flashing light on the GPS tracker. As Jay approached a gas station, the light began flashing faster and faster.

" Do you think he's in there?" questioned Natalie.

" There's only one way to find out," Jay said as he pulled into the parking lot and parked the SUV in front of the store.

Why don't you check the bathrooms while we talk to the clerk?" Natalie nodded before heading to the back of the store where the restrooms were located.

" Anything?" asked Jay several minutes later as he found Natalie standing near the front doors.

" You mean besides the disgusting clogged toilet in the men's room?"

" I'll take that as a no then. Guy at the register says he hasn't seen Will lately," Jay said as they walked outside.

" What do we do now?" wondered Natalie as Jay stood beside her, trying to call Will's cellphone again.

" Let's head to the apartment," suggested Jay as he pushed a button on his phone.

" Wait...do that again," ordered Natalie.

" Do what?"

" Call him again," Natalie insisted. Jay shook his head, wondering what Natalie was after as he redialed Will's number. Beside him, Natalie held a finger to her lips then pointed towards the side of the building. Jay and Erin's eyes widened as they heard the sound of Will's phone ringing in the distance. They crept around the corner of the building, expecting to find Will. Instead they found a young man leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette.

* * *

" I know you," Jay said as he approached the young man.

Shane, right? Empty your pockets!"

" Make me," he challenged.

" Where'd you get this?" asked Erin as she pulled Will's cellphone out of the teen's jacket pocket.

" Dunno."

" Wrong answer," responded Jay as he grabbed Shane by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall.

" Found it."

" Where?"

" I ain't gotta tell you shit man."

" That's where you're wrong," Jay said before grasping the teen's neck between his two hands.

" Let's try this again. Where did you get the phone?"

" Down the...alley...by...the...laundry place," Shane sputtered as his face turned red.

" Did you see this man?" demanded Erin as she pulled up a picture of Jay and Will on her phone.

" You guys related or something?" Shane asked Jay as the latter released his grip.

" He's my brother," answered Jay.

" Have you seen him?" asked a worried Natalie.

" Who are you? Girlfriend?"

" Have you seen him?" Jay, Erin, and Natalie shouted in unison.

" Yeah. I seen him. Didn't look like he'd be using his phone any time soon though."

" Thanks," Jay said as he slid both phones in his pocket.

" Go fuck yourself!" shouted the teen as Natalie began running in the direction that Shane had indicated, leaving Jay and Erin to run after her.

* * *

" Damn. You're fast," Jay declared as he and Erin caught up with Natalie.

" I was the girl's state champion in track all four years of high school," Natalie explained as they continued jogging down the sidewalk.

That kid...Shane. How do you know him?"

" I busted him a few years ago. He had a habit of stealing old ladies' purses and and their cars."

" Would he hurt Will?" asked Natalie.

" He's dumb, not violent," Jay remarked in attempts to calm Natalie's nerves.

" There's five alleys on this street," said a defeated Natalie as they rounded the corner.

What do we do? Split up?"

" We stay together. We don't know who or what we're dealing with," explained Jay as he removed his gun from its holster.

Stay here." Natalie felt helpless as Jay and Erin raised their weapons and stepped into the first alley.

" Anything?" she asked.

" Nothing but a ton of empty beer cans," replied Erin as they joined Natalie back on the sidewalk. The second alley was empty as well.

* * *

" Erin, take the last alley. I've got the third and the fourth," ordered Jay. Erin headed towards the fifth alley which was almost a block away from where Jay and Natalie stood.

" I'm coming with you," Natalie insisted after Jay exited the third alley. Jay opened his mouth to protest, but was interrupted by Erin's screams.

" Jay! Natalie! Down here!"

* * *

 _Nothing goes as planned_  
 _Everything will break_  
 _People say goodbye_  
 _In their own special way_  
 _All that you rely on_  
 _And all that you can fake_  
 _Will leave you in the morning_  
 _But find you in the day_

 _Oh, you're in my veins_  
 _And I cannot get you out..._

 _~Andrew Belle feat. Erin McCarley~ In My Veins_


	4. Somewhere Only We Know

This chapter is much shorter than I usually write length wise. In my mind, I had two options: shorter chapter that ended in a logical place or a longer chapter that ended abruptly and made no sense. I opted for the shorter chapter which means the next chapter is going to be a longer one! (And it's already written!)  
Thank you so much for the reviews- keep them coming! Enjoy!

* * *

" Jay! Natalie! Down here!" The two took off towards Erin's panicked voice. Natalie's heart lurched in her chest as she turned a corner and saw Erin kneeling over what she presumed to be Will's body, her hands covered in blood.

" He's been stabbed," Erin explained numbly as Natalie and Jay knelt beside her.

" I've got a pulse," Natalie stated as Jay pulled out his cellphone.

I need a shirt, a jacket...something to apply pressure with." Jay quickly pulled off his off his hoodie and handed it to Natalie.

" This is Detective Jay Halstead with the CPD Intelligence Unit. Badge # 51163. I'm on the scene of a recent stabbing. Alley located just west of Pattenson and Vincent. We need an ambulance at this location. Assailant is still at large." Jay hung up his phone and turned to face Natalie and an unconscious Will.

* * *

" What can I do?"

" Apply direct pressure to his chest," Natalie instructed.

" Like this?" asked Jay as he pressed into his bloodied sweatshirt.

" Harder." Beneath his brother's hands Will stirred and let out a weak moan.

" Will, it's Nat. Can you hear me?"

" This date...sucks," Will muttered as he locked eyes with Natalie, a smirk spreading across his pale face.

" You definitely owe me now," she replied, trying to downplay the situation.

" Guy forced me...down here...at gunpoint," explained Will as he turned towards Jay.

Broke the...bastard's...nose… after he…" Will's words were cut off as his breathing became faster, causing him to begin coughing.

" What's happening?" asked a clueless Jay.

" Hemo...pneu...mo...throax," croaked Will as he coughed up a spurt of blood.

" English please," Jay requested as Natalie held her head close to Will's chest in attempts to listen to his breathing.

" His left lung is collapsing and filling with blood. The stab wound must have punctured it."

" Can you do something?" asked Jay anxiously.

" Not unless...you've got a pocket...knife...and a...straw," gasped Will, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled for air.

* * *

" Where in the hell is the ambulance?" Jay questioned as Erin ran back down the alley.

" Voight's on his way," she explained as the sound of sirens grew closer.

" Voight?" questioned Will, his voice fading as his eyes closed.

" Will. Come on. I need you to stay with me," Natalie pleaded as she shook his shoulder gently. A quiet moan escaped Will's mouth, yet his eyes remained shut.

" Damn it Will! Wake up!" Jay shouted as the sound of sirens stopped and an ambulance pulled into view. There was no response from Will. As Gabby and Sylvie unloaded the rig, Natalie leaned in towards Will and planted a tender kiss on his blood stained lips. A weak smile appeared on Will's face.

" See...Jay. That's all… it takes."

" I love you man...but I'm sure as hell not going to lay one on you like that," joked Jay as the two paramedics came down the alley.

* * *

" What happened?" asked Gabby as she knelt down beside Natalie.

" He said something about being forced down here at gunpoint," Jay replied blankly as he stood, allowing Brett to take his place.

" Will...Will...Dr. Halstead," shouted Gabby as she attempted to elicit some sort of response from him.

" He's been in and out of consciousness," mumbled Erin as Brett quickly started an IV. Natalie found herself grabbing Gabby's stethoscope so she could listen to his obviously injured lung.

" Diminished breath sounds on the left," she declared.

" Get me a 14 gauge needle," instructed Sylvie.

" He needs a chest tube," Natalie argued.

" We need to get him to Med before his BP bottoms out and we're faced with an entirely different scenario," reasoned Gabby as Sylvie cut through Will's shirt and prepped the area.

" You don't need to watch this," whispered Erin as she pulled Jay into her arms. Natalie found herself holding her breath as the needle pierced Will's chest. An audible hiss of air escape once the needle was in place. Will began violently gasping again as his eyes flew back open.

* * *

" How are you doing?" questioned Sylvie as she applied a stack of pressure dressings in place of Jay's now saturated sweatshirt.

" Hurts...to...breathe."

" Just hang in there," said Gabby as she placed an oxygen mask on him. Voight's SUV pulled into view followed by several police cruisers. Gabby and Sylvie quickly transferred Will onto the gurney and headed towards the ambulance. Jay and Natalie followed while Erin lingered behind, already surveying the crime scene.

" Can he talk?" questioned Voight as he paused beside the gurney.

" We really need to get him to Med," advised Gabby as she opened the doors to the ambulance.

" Wait," croaked Will, his voice barely audible as he managed to pull off the oxygen mask.

" What is it?" Voight asked.

" He...called...he knew...my name. And...Jay's. Said to...to tell...Jay...thanks." A look of shock spread across everyone's faces as the gurney was loaded into the back. Jay, Natalie, and Gabby climbed in behind it as Sylvie slid into the driver's seat.

" Call ahead to Med and have them make sure Dr. Rhodes is available," Natalie ordered to Sylvie as the sirens were turned on and they pulled away.

* * *

 _Oh simple thing, where have you gone?_  
 _I'm getting old and I need someone to rely on_  
 _So tell me when you're gonna let me in_  
 _I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin_

 _And if you have a minute why don't we go_  
 _Talk about it somewhere only we know?_  
 _'Cause this could be the end of everything,_  
 _So why don't we go_  
 _Somewhere only we k_ now? 

~ _Somewhere Only We Know~ Lily Allen (originally performed by Keane)_


	5. Into The Fire

A little treat to hold you over till the new Chicago Med episode tonight. Thank you everyone for the terrific reviews. They are appreciated and encouraging! Keep them coming! (Next chapter will be up in the next few days!)

* * *

"Incoming!" Maggie shouted as an alarm signaled the arrival of an ambulance. Ethan and April stood beside her, their mouths hanging open as Jay and Natalie entered first, covered in Will's blood.

" Natalie...what?" Maggie inquired, but was interrupted by Gabby and Sylvie.

" Will Halstead. 32 year old male. Multiple stab wounds to the chest and a nasty head wound. Treated for a hemopneumothorax of the left lung in the field." A collective chorus of "shit" erupted amongst the colleagues Will's side.

" Take him to Baghdad and somebody find Connor Rhodes!" barked a visibly shaken Maggie. Ethan and April whisked Will into the nearby trauma room. Jay and Natalie attempted to follow them, but were cut off by Maggie.

" You," she said, pointing to Jay, "and especially you Natalie. Out. Now. Go sit!" Natalie and Jay found themselves stumbling towards two chairs, their view of Will now obstructed by a curtain and a door. The two sat numbly in silence, clearly absorbed by the shock of what had just happened. Out of the corner of her eye Natalie saw a blur of Connor's muscular build run into the trauma room.

* * *

" What do we have?" asked Connor as he pulled on a pair of glove and safety glasses.

" No one told you?" asked a shocked April.

" Told me what?"

" It's Will," she responded as a shocked Connor rushed over.

" He's got multiple stab wounds to the chest and a hemopneumothorax on the left," explained Ethan as Connor leaned in with his stethoscope.

" Breath sound are definitely still diminished. Set me up for a chest tube."

" Right away," said April as she began gathering the needed supplies.

" Will...can you hear me? It's Connor." Will's eye fluttered open briefly as he turned his head towards Connor.

" Your left lung is collapsed and it's filling with blood. I need to insert a chest tube. We've given you Morphine, but it's still going to hurt like hell, okay?" Will nodded weakly before closing his eyes once more. The bright lights of the trauma room were too much for his aching head.

Connor found himself taking a short breath before picking up the scalpel and placing it against Will's chest. Though he was teetering on the edge of consciousness, Will felt himself wince in pain as the scalpel sliced through his flesh. He found himself struggling against Ethan's strong grasp as Connor spread apart his skin and inserted the chest tube, the pain being almost unbearable. Once imaging confirmed proper placement, Connor quickly stitched the tube into place.

" Still with us Halstead?"

There was no response.

" Will. Come on. I need you to open your eyes."

" Dr. Rhodes, I'm having trouble finding a pulse," April said as several monitors began beeping loudly.

" He's crashing!" shouted Ethan.

" Choi, start compressions," Connor ordered.

* * *

" How is he?" asked a frazzled Sharon Goodwin as she approached Jay and Natalie who were still sitting in a state of shock.

" They're still working on him," Natalie mumbled as the door to the trauma room slid open and Connor stepped out.

" He's stable...for now."

" What does that mean?" asked Jay.

" I was able to successfully insert a chest tube to treat the hemopneumothorax. However, shortly after that Will became unresponsive and went into cardiac arrest."

Natalie gasped in shock as Jay instinctively wrapped his arm around her.

" Do you know if Will has anyone designated as his medical proxy?"

" I'm the only family he has," Jay stated.

" What about a DNR?" Connor asked bluntly.

" Do whatever you need to do in order to save him," instructed Jay as he turned to Natalie who nodded in agreement.

" Dr. Rhodes, OR 6 is prepped and ready for you," announced April as the door opened and the curtain was pulled back.

" Is he ready for transport?" asked Connor.

" We're ready to go," Ethan stated as Maggie pulled out the gurney so Ethan could ventilate Will who was now intubated,

" Wait!" Natalie insisted as she grabbed onto the gurney in order to stop it. She averted her eyes from Will's bloodied chest and instead leaned into towards his head. She whispered something into his ear before gently kissing his forehead and stepping back. Jay took her place, surveying Will's injuries before leaning in, his whisper much more audible than Natalie's.

" We're going to find the guy who did this and when we do, I'm taking him to hell."

* * *

" How's he doing?" Erin asked as she entered the surgical waiting area some time later, carrying Jay's backpack.

" Dr. Rhodes took him back about an hour or so ago," Jay answered blankly.

" Voight and Ruzek are going through street cam footage as well as footage from the train station's security system. We're going to get this guy."

" What's in the the bag?" asked Jay, quickly changing the subject.

" I thought you'd like to...um...clean up," she responded, eyeing his blood stained clothes.

" Thanks. Can you keep an eye on her?" Jay asked, indicating Natalie who was sitting a few chair away, looking incredibly distraught.

" Will do. I'll call you if there's any new," Erin responded as Jay walked off in search of a shower.

* * *

" Hey Nat, can I get you anything?" Erin asked as she took the seat beside the young doctor.

" I'm good," she responded as she dabbed at her eyes with a wadded up tissue. Natalie let out a long sigh as she did her best to choke back tears.

" Who am I kidding? I'm a hot mess."

" When Jay was attacked last year, I didn't sleep for almost a week," confessed Erin.

" We've only been dating for a month...who falls in love that quickly?"

" Will does. He's crazy for you and Owen."

" He's such an amazing person. I never thought I'd be falling this quickly for someone after Jeff. Will and I have been such good friends for so long, but the timing was never right," explained Natalie.

" The way his face lights up when he talks about you or Owen...it's like a kid on Christmas morning."

" That smile."

" You're going to see it again. It's a Halstead trait. Will and Jay are both tough as nails."

* * *

 _Come on, come on_  
 _Put your hands into the fire_  
 _Explain, explain_  
 _As I turn, I meet the power_

 _This time, this time_  
 _Turning white and senses dying_  
 _Pull up, pull up_  
 _From one extreme to another_

 _From the summer to the spring_  
 _From the mountain to the air_  
 _From samaritan to sin_  
 _And it's waiting on the air_

 _~Into The Fire~ Thirteen Senses (originally performed by Erin McCarley)_


	6. Give Me a Sign

Yet again I find myself posting a shorter chapter than I would have preferred. However, this chapter is pivotal to the story and would have been lost in awkwardness if I added more to it. Next chapter will be centered around Natalie more. Thank you for all of the encouraging reviews! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

" Hey Nat, can I get you anything?" Erin asked as she took the seat beside the young doctor.

" I'm good," she responded as she dabbed at her eyes with a wadded up tissue. Natalie let out a long sigh as she did her best to choke back tears.

" Who am I kidding? I'm a hot mess."

" When Jay was attacked last year, I didn't sleep for almost a week," confessed Erin.

" We've only been dating for a month...who falls in love that quickly?"

" Will does. He's crazy for you and Owen."

" He's such an amazing person. I never thought I'd be falling this quickly for someone after Jeff. Will and I have been such good friends for so long, but the timing was never right," explained Natalie.

" The way his face lights up when he talks about you or Owen...it's like a kid on Christmas morning."

" That smile."

" You're going to see it again. It's in their DNA. Will and Jay are both tough as nails."

* * *

By the time Jay reached the waiting area, freshly showered and dressed, he found the room much more crowded than it had been when he left. Sharon, Ethan, Maggie, and April were crowding the other chairs, anxiously awaiting news. No sooner than had Jay sat down did a heavily blood stained Connor step into the room. Jay felt his heart lodge in his chest as he blindly reached for Erin's hand.

" It appears that the stab wound to his stomach nicked an artery, causing a significant amount of internal bleeding. We've got the artery clamped off, but I wanted to come update everyone before I started the repair."

" Thanks," muttered Jay as Connor headed back for the OR. A collective sigh could be heard across the room. Will was still alive.

* * *

Jay found himself yawning as he glanced down at his watch. 11:19 p.m. Even though they all had shifts the following morning, everyone from the ER had yet to move. Jay likened it to the camaraderie between police officers when one of their own were injured. The ping of the elevator caught Jay's attention as the doors slid open, revealing Voight and Ruzek.

" Please tell me you found something," pleaded Jay quietly, trying not to wake those who were sleeping.

" The dumbass didn't go to great lengths to conceal his identity," quipped Ruzek as he handed Jay a stack of photos. The first photo showed Will approaching the train stop, presumably still on the phone with Natalie. The second showed a tall, heavyset man approaching Will as he rifled through his pockets.

" That face. It looks familiar," Jay said.

" Just wait," instructed Ruzek as Jay flipped through more photos before abruptly stopping.

" Son of a bitch. That's Marcus Reed. He's another one of Dominic Harding's dealers."

" Another?" questioned Voight.

" That crystal that was seized this morning. It came from Trevor Isaac," Jay stated.

" The same Trevor Isaac that was the driver in the Starbucks crash?"

" Will was the one treating Trevor," explained Erin.

" And no one thought it was important to mention this before now?" Voight asked.

" How many times have we arrested patients here at Med?" questioned Ruzek.

" That's not the point," stated Voight.

" What are you thinking?" asked Jay.

" I'm thinking Dominic put a hit on Will to even the score with you," Voight pointed out.

" Trevor knew we were related. Will was the one to turn Trevor over to Erin and I this morning," Jay explained with a sigh.

" Antonio and Atwater are trying to track down Marcus's whereabouts, but it's like he fell off the face of the earth after jumping Will," noted Ruzek.

" Let me know the minute they find that sorry piece of shit," replied Jay angrily.

* * *

It was shortly after 1 a.m. when a visibly tired Connor Rhodes stumbled into the waiting area, his footsteps though quiet managed to wake everyone that had fallen asleep.

" How is he?" Jay asked as Connor pulled a chair into the center of the group and sat down.

" The stab wound to his lung was an easy fix in retrospect," Connor started.

" You said something about an artery being hit?" Jay questioned anxiously.

" Look. You're in a room full of doctors and nurses so I'm not going to sugar coat it. Will is incredibly lucky to still be alive. Scientifically the fact that he made it to the hospital semi-conscious and without crashing is a miracle all in itself. The second wound was within millimeters of puncturing his abdominal aorta. If the person who stabbed him so much as sneezed, Will would have bled out in the alley long before you reached him. Regardless, he's lost a lot of blood."

" So what does all of that mean?" Connor raised his folded hands towards his mouth, trying to gather his thoughts before he spoke.

" The next 24 hours are going to be extremely crucial if Will has any shot at survival."

Jay felt his stomach churn as the news sank in.

" I'm going to be sick," he declared, running off in search of a bathroom, Erin chasing after him.

" Dr. Rhodes. May I have a word?" asked Sharon as their group dispersed. Connor followed her out into the hallway, yawning as he did so.

" What odds are we looking at?"

" Honestly I'm not comfortable putting a percentage on it right now. Come find me in the morning," he replied with a defeated sigh.

" Please page me if anything changes," instructed Sharon as she headed down the hallway. Connor stumbled into the nearby elevator, desperate to find a bed near the ICU. He had been up for over 24 hours.

* * *

 _Dead star shine_  
 _Light up the sky_  
 _I'm all out of breath_  
 _My walls are closing in_  
 _Days go by_  
 _Give me a sign_  
 _Come back to the end_  
 _The shepherd of the damned_

 _I can feel you falling away...  
~Breaking Benjamin~ Give Me A Sign_


	7. Through Glass

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I lost count of how many times I rewrote the end of this chapter! I'm still not thrilled with it, but here it is. Next chapter will easily make up for it. Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews! Keep them coming and enjoy!

* * *

 _I'm looking at you through the glass_

 _Don't know how much time has passed_

 _Oh, god it feels like forever  
~Through Glass~ Stone Sour_

* * *

" Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Erin asked as she and Jay approached the ICU.

" No. I need you out there helping Dawson and Atwater find this son of a bitch," answered Jay before leaning in to give Erin a kiss.

" I love you," replied Erin before hugging Jay.

It's going to be okay," she whispered as she headed for the elevators. Jay found himself frozen as he stood outside the door to Will's room in the ICU. Inside lay his baby brother hooked up to what seemed like a million machines. This couldn't be real, could it?

* * *

After taking a deep breath, Jay found himself entering the eerily quiet room, the only noise being the hiss of the respirator. Jay sat down beside the bed, still trying to make sense of everything. Will's red hair seemed so much brighter, its color amplified by the paleness of his skin. The severe blood loss had clearly taken a toll on his brother's body. His arms were riddled with a host of needles, all leading to various IVs. That didn't include the mess of assorted wires and tubes leading to heart monitors, machines measuring his blood pressure, the pulse ox contraption attached to one of his hands, the catheter, the chest tube, the breathing tube that was connected to the respirator...it was all too much.

" Damn it Will," Jay muttered as he raked his fingers through his hair. He sat in silence, unsure of what do or say. It was hardly a secret to Jay's co-workers that he and Will had been estranged at one point. Their relationship in the past five or so years was a sore subject for Jay. When Will had moved back to Chicago, their relationship had slowly begun mending itself. Jay found himself remembering the day Will had come back to Chicago, full of excuses as to why he had left New York. Jay paused in his thoughts as he heard the door slide open behind him.

* * *

" Can I come in?" Natalie whispered.

" Of course," replied Jay as he stood so Natalie could take his seat. She instantly grasped Will's hand while using her other to wipe away a stray tear.

" Is Owen with Helen?" asked Jay as he dragged a chair to the other side of Will's bed. Natalie looked up, wondering how Jay knew Helen's name.

" Will talks about you and Owen all the time," Jay explained.

" Really?" asked Natalie though it was hardly a surprise.

" I've never seen him like this with anyone else he's ever dated. Will was the guy that didn't want kids. He was always more into the party scene before moving back from New York. I actually caught him reading a parenting magazine the other day." Natalie smiled as she imagined Will leafing through a copy of Parents magazine.

" He's so good with Owen. Last weekend he brought over his guitar and played lullabies till Owen fell asleep."

" That's certainly a far cry from weddings," Jay said with a laugh.

" What do you mean?"

" He's never told you that story? Will used to play guitar at weddings to pay for med school."

" Somehow he left out those details," replied Natalie with a grin.

" Then I'm sure he also left out the part about the wedding he got drunk at and the bride found him hooking up with her maid of honor that also happened to be her sister in a closet at the reception hall. He's going to kill me for telling you that story," Jay muttered, his words drifting off into an awkward silence. The two stared at Will for a moment before Jay stood up and turned to Natalie.

" I can't do this. I'm going to go get some coffee. Would you like some?"

" That would be great. No sugar, just some creamer please."

" No problem."

" Go down to the doctor's lounge in the ER. Night shift makes the strongest coffee."

" Thanks for the heads up," Jay replied as he slid the door open and exited Will's room.

* * *

Once Jay had left, Natalie found herself fighting back tears as she looked down at Will. He was almost unrecognizable, a shell of his former self. Natalie had never seen him so quiet. The Will she was rapidly falling in love with was often outspoken, yet stood firm in his beliefs. Though he didn't talk much at work, he was an entirely different person outside of the hospital. Natalie smiled as she recalled one of their first dates. It had been pouring rain with no end in sight. Will had insisted on driving her and Owen home so Natalie wouldn't have to navigate the train station in the rain with a baby. When they finally made it to Natalie's place, Will urged her to take a long, hot bath to relax. She found herself hesitating, but eventually she relented and headed for the bathroom. Half an hour passed by before Natalie got out of the tub. She quickly pulled on a t-shirt and leggings after combing out her long hair. When she stepped back out into the living room, Natalie felt her heart skip a beat. Will was in the recliner, feeding Owen a bottle while recapping the latest Cubs game to him.

" How did you know it was time for him to eat?"

" You only mentioned it half a dozen times on the ride home," Will joked as he positioned Owen over his shoulder to burp him.

" Do you need me to?"

" We've got it for now," reassured Will.

" Where should we order in from?" asked Natalie as a knock sounded on her front door.

" That should be our dinner now actually. I ordered from Golden Wok while you were in the tub."

" Chinese food sounds amazing right now," she responded as she opened the door. Just outside the door stood a delivery man holding several paper bags that smelled of heavenly Chinese food.

" Thank you Dr. Will," said the delivery man as he headed for the elevators.

" How do you know the delivery guy from Golden Wok?" asked an intrigued Natalie as she placed the food on the coffee table.

" He came into the ER a few weeks ago with a nasty dog bite he got while delivering. Plus I tipped him extra," Will replied nonchalantly as Natalie took Owen and buckled him into his swing.

" Sorry this isn't more...fancy," Natalie stated as she joined Will on the couch.

" Are you kidding me? I'll take Chinese food and Netflix over a suit and tie any day." A smile crept across Natalie's face as she grabbed a carton of sweet and sour chicken.

Once they were done eating, Natalie turned the television on and opened up Netflix.

" Chick flick or action flick?"

" As much as I want to see the new James Bond movie, I'll concede and watch the chick flick."

" Really?"

" Just don't tell anyone at work I watched The Notebook."

" Cross my heart," promised Natalie.

" Besides. It's my turn to pick next time," stated Will.

" What makes you think there's going to be a next time?" joked Natalie.

" Something tells me there will be plenty of next times," Will insisted as Natalie laid her head on his shoulder.

" I like the sound of that," Natalie replied as the movie started.

* * *

The quiet beeping of the heart monitor brought Natalie back to the present. Her vision became cloudy as tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks.

" My heart can't take this again. I need you to fight Will," she whispered as the door opened and Maggie stepped in.

" Nat...what are you still doing here? It's almost 4 a.m."

" I can't leave him Maggie," Natalie said as she let out a long yawn.

" You're no good to him if you're exhausted. You need to go home and sleep."

" What if something happens to him?"

" I can stay with him until you get back. If you won't go home, at least go find an empty oncall room."

" Maggie…"

" What would Will say?" challenged the nurse.

" He'd tell me to stop being so stubborn,"," Natalie replied with a sigh, knowing that Maggie was right. She stood reluctantly and gave Maggie a hug.  
" I'll just be down the hall."

" I'll call you if anything changes."

" Thanks," responded Natalie as she bent down and kissed Will's cheek before reluctantly exiting the room. Maggie sat down in the chair that Natalie had just vacated.

" You and I are going to be having a talk when this is all said and done with Halstead. So much for not breaking her heart."


	8. Thoughtless

Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I appreciate each and every one of them! A new chapter will be up soon- I cut this one short so it wouldn't end awkwardly. Pardon the language in this chapter.

* * *

 _All of my hate cannot be found_  
 _I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming_  
 _So you can try to tear me down_  
 _Beat me to the ground_  
 _I will see you screaming_  
 _~Korn~ Thoughtless_

* * *

Jay cursed himself for not grabbing Will's jacket out of his locker when he had stopped in the doctor's lounge for coffee. Even though it was in the middle of March, the temperature outside had plummeted, causing the pleasant spring air to disappear. Jay knew he should be back up in the ICU with Will, but sitting in the small box of a room had left him feeling anxious and helpless. As he walked around the blocks surrounding Chicago Med, the anger built up inside of him with each step. He wished there was something, anything he could do to make this all disappear. If he had it his way he'd be out combing the streets, hunting down Marcus himself. Jay knew it would be a cold day in hell if Voight let him anywhere near Will's case. That was probably for the best. If Jay was the one that brought in Marcus, the man wouldn't make it back to the Intelligence Unit alive. Jay quickly checked his cellphone to see if there were any updates from anyone. The home screen on his phone was blank, only displaying the time. 5:35 a.m. He made a right turn and headed back towards the hospital. Hopefully when he got back there would be an update regarding Will's condition.

* * *

" Jay." He paused in his tracks as his name echoed in the cool Chicago air. The hairs on his neck instantly stood straight up as the voice resonated in his head.

" What the hell do you want?" Jay asked angrily as he turned around on the sidewalk.

" That's no way to greet your father Jay."

" Cut the crap Michael."

" I heard about Will and came to see him."

" At almost 6 a.m? How much have you had to drink this morning?"

" He's my son damn it!"

" Walk away Michael."

" I have a right to see him."

" I'm not going to ask you again. Go crawl back under whatever rock you came from." Michael attempted to push past Jay, but stopped dead in his tracks as Jay's fist connected with his eye. Michael swung back, causing the bottom portion of Jay's jaw to split open. Before he could stop himself, Jay began pummeling the man, each swing releasing the pent up anger and fear that had been building since they had found Will bleeding to death in the alley. He found himself stumbling backwards as Michael's fist connected with his jaw yet again. Jay could feel the adrenaline pulsate through his veins as he paused before charging forward and tackling Michael to the ground. Neither man heard Erin's footsteps as she approached the two.

* * *

" Jay! Stop it!" she shouted as Jay threw yet another punch. Erin found herself grabbing Jay around the chest, doing her best to separate the two.

" Jay! Stop! You're going to kill him!" she screamed as Jay attempted to slam Michael's head into the concrete. It was a mere shot of luck as Erin was able to pull Jay backwards, causing them to fall to the sidewalk.

" Let me go!" Jay growled angrily as everyone stood, Erin jumping between the two men.  
" You're fucking psycho!" shouted Michael.

" I learned from the best!" challenged Jay.

" Look. I don't know who the hell you are, but I'd suggest leaving. NOW!"

What in the hell were you thinking?" Erin asked as Michael stumbled away.

" His sorry ass deserved it."

" You're lucky his 'sorry ass' didn't want to call the cops and have you arrested for aggravated assault!" she exclaimed.

" Michael's not dumb enough to press charges. I can almost guarantee you they'd arrest him for public intoxication and lord knows what else anyways," responded Jay as he pulled up his hood to make his injuries less visible.

" Who is he?"

" I don't want to talk about it," Jay replied as he turned and walked back towards the hospital's entrance.

* * *

" I thought you were off today," said Natalie as Connor entered Will's room just before 6 a.m.

" I'm on call. Have you been here all night?"

" Maggie kicked me out for a few hours but I didn't sleep much."

" Have you seen Jay?" asked Connor as he pulled up Will's chart on his tablet.

" He said something about going to get coffee, but that was hours ago," Natalie explained as various scenarios began playing out in her mind, each one more horrific than the last. She found herself breathing a sigh of relief as Erin and Jay materialized seemingly out of nowhere. It was Erin who reached the room first, sliding the it open for a sullen Jay.

" Sorry about the coffee," he mumbled as he handed Natalie and paper cup. She couldn't help but gasp as she grabbed the cup from Jay's right hand, its knuckles heavily bruised and bleeding.

" What happened to your hand?"

" The same thing that happened to his face." responded Erin as she pulled back Jay's hood much to his chagrin. A large bruise was quickly forming on his left cheek, accompanied by a bleeding cut on his jawline.

" Connor...can I get some gauze?" Connor looked up from his tablet, his eyes widening in shock as he caught a glimpse of Jay's face.

" What the hell happened?" Connor asked as he pulled on a pair of gloves and grabbed a stack of gauze.

" I'm fine!" Jay contested.

" If by fine you mean needing stitches, then sure. You're fine," replied Connor flippantly as he attempted to apply pressure to the cut.

" How is he?" questioned Jay as he took the gauze and pressed it to his face then turned back towards Will.

" From a surgical standpoint, he's doing well. The incisions look good and the chest tube output is steady. His heart rate and his oxygen levels have improved somewhat. However, his blood pressure is still dangerously low and unstable."

" Meaning?"

" Despite the improvements, he's still not out of the woods. We need to see his blood pressure raise significantly and remain stable before I'm willing to update his status from critical condition. I wish I had better news, but the point is he's still alive. Let's give the anesthesia a bit longer to completely wear off. I'll check in on him later."

" I've got to go," Natalie said abruptly.

Helen just dropped Owen off at daycare and I want to see him before my shift starts."

" I'm going to go check in with Voight," Erin announced as she turned to leave. Jay tried his hardest to follow her but was stopped by Connor.

" Nice try."

* * *

" Do I want to know how this happened?" inquired Connor a few minutes later as he thoroughly cleaned the gash on Jay's face.

" I fell." Connor couldn't help but to laugh.

" You work for Hank Voight and that's the best you can come up with?" Jay glared at Connor who was now holding a needle.

" This is going to sting."

" I've been shot before. I think I can handle some stitches," Jay replied curtly.

" You two are both stubborn as hell," Connor said observantly as he glanced over at Will. Jay remained silent as he leaned back in the recliner beside Will, turning his head so Connor could begin stitching his face back together.

* * *

Nearly twenty minutes later Connor tied off the final stitch, clipping the thread as he did so.

" I didn't fall," Jay randomly blurted out as Connor applied a bandage over the stitches.

" You don't say."

" I went out for a walk earlier. All of this...I needed to think. I was on my way back when I ran into our old man."

" I thought you said…"

" I'm the only family that matters. Our mom died shortly after Will moved to New York," explained Jay as Connor cleaned up.

" And your dad?"

" The sperm donor is a lousy drunk. He claimed he wanted to check up on Will. It didn't take much to realize he was coming home from a bar. He smelled like he had taken a bath in whiskey. Bastard doesn't give a damn about us. We haven't seen him in years."

" Say no more. I've been there."

" Let me guess. Your dad cut you out of his will?"

" Having money isn't all what it's cracked up to be," Connor lamented as his pager went off.

I have to go. They need me in the ER. I'll check back in later."


	9. If You Only Knew

Thanks yet again for the wonderful reviews. This is a pretty short chapter, but I can safely say the next chapter will be much longer...and worth the wait. (Fun, random fact: I took a Media Literacy class in college many years ago. We had a guest speaker who was a co-writer for a very popular prime time show. I asked her how one worked up the totem pole to become a writer in Hollywood. If I didn't have two kids, I'd probably be living in California right now with my husband as a show runner/gopher, climbing my way to the top.)

* * *

If you only knew  
I'm hanging by a thread  
The web I spin for you  
If you only knew  
I'd sacrifice my beating heart  
Before I'd lose you  
~Shinedown~ If You Only Knew

* * *

Natalie instantly smiled as she took Owen out of his carseat. Helen had inadvertently dressed him in the Cubs onesie Will had gotten him, the words 'Future All-Star' splayed across his chest. Natalie had managed to hold in her tears as she talked with Helen, but now that it was just her and Owen the tears streamed down her face, dampening her cheeks. Will loved Owen so much it made her heart ache. After Jeff had passed, it seemed inconceivable that another man would ever love her and Owen like he had. Though they hadn't been together that long, the intensity of her feelings for Will and vice versa grew almost on a daily basis. Natalie could still vividly recall the day that the two officers from the Army and a chaplain had arrived at Helen's house. They had just found out the baby's gender a few days prior. After telling Jeff during a Skype session, Helen had insisted that they plan out a nursery at her house. Smokey Grey. That was the color of the paint swatch Natalie had been holding when she looked out the big bay window in Helen's living room and saw the three men approaching. It had been a day that she relived so many times, the memory forever etched in her mind. When she and Jay had run down the alley and found Erin covered in Will's blood, that same coldness enveloped her. It was as if all of the happiness had been sucked out of her and she'd never feel warm again in her life. There was no way her heart could withstand yet another profound tragedy.

* * *

Natalie cradled Owen close to her heart, inhaling deeply as she stroked his hair. After a few more minutes of rocking Owen, she reluctantly stood and handed Owen to a daycare worker who was standing nearby. After one last wave goodbye, she headed for the elevator. Natalie found herself feeling relieved that the elevator was empty. As it stopped on the first floor, she took one last opportunity to wipe away the remaining tears that lingered. The mascara from the previous night was long gone, all of it washed away from crying as they waited for news on Will's condition. Natalie forced a smile on her face as she turned a corner and stepped into the ER.

" Hey Nat," called April as Natalie approached the main nurse's station.

" Hey," she managed to say, avoiding eye contact with the young nurse.

" Any news on Will?" she asked quietly.

" I just left the ICU before meeting Helen at daycare."

" Is there any change?"

" He's...he's hanging in there," responded Natalie, her voice shaking slightly.

" Let me know if you need anything," April said reassuringly.

" Thanks," Natalie said softly.

" Dr. Manning, paramedics are en route with a mother and daughter involved in an MVA," Ethan announced as he approached. Natalie followed him to the ambulance bay, feeling thankful for the distraction.

* * *

Several hours later after both the mother and daughter had been attended to and discharged, Natalie suddenly found herself both hungry and exhausted. The previous night's events had finally caught up with her body. Thankfully, Sharon had noticed her fatigue and insisted she take the rest of the afternoon off. After a shower and a fresh change of clothes, she grabbed a salad from the cafeteria and headed upstairs to the ICU. She had just exited the elevator when her phone began buzzing. Natalie immediately recognized Connor's number as it flashed across the screen, causing her heart to lodge in her chest. She threw her salad in a nearby trash can and took off running down the hallway. Before she could enter Will's room, Connor stepped out, still holding his phone.

" You could have just answered your phone," he said with a smile as Natalie stopped to catch her breath.

" What's going on?" she asked as they entered the room.

" He's responding to painful stimuli," replied Connor with a hopeful smile.

" Are you serious?" A smile spread across Natalie's face as Connor applied pressure to Will's sternum, causing his body to visibly recoil in pain. Natalie found herself shedding tears of joy as she pulled Connor into a hug.

" He's still got a long road ahead of him, but this is good."

" Have you talked to Jay?"

" He's asleep in an on-call room down the hall. I talked to him right before I called you."

" Sleep sounds amazing right now," Natalie replied with a yawn as she flopped down in the recliner.

" I'm right there with you. I've lost count of how many cups of coffee I've drank," he stated, but was met with silence. Natalie had fallen asleep in mid-sentence. Connor picked up a blanket from a stack of spare linens in the corner and gently laid it over her. Now maybe he could get some sleep as well.

* * *

Jay awoke several hours later to his phone vibrating with a text from Voight, asking him to meet him out front of the hospital. He found himself feeling anxious as he rode the elevator to the main floor, hopeful that Voight had tracked down Marcus. As he approached the sergeant outside, Jay quickly realized this meeting had nothing to do with Marcus.

" I just had an interesting conversation with a gentleman at the precinct. It seems that one of my detectives roughed him up this morning. You wouldn't know anything about that?" Voight questioned as he eyed Jay's busted up knuckles.

" Not a clue," replied Jay casually.

" That's what I thought."

" Are there any leads on Marcus?"

" We're looking into some things," Voight responded vaguely.

" You're not going to give me anything, are you?"

" Nope," answered Voight as he began walking away. Jay had turned around and began walking towards the entrance when he heard Voight's voice.

" You owe me $200!"


	10. Never Stop

From the shortest chapter to the longest. This pivotal chapter has been a struggle to write as I contemplated each and every line to ensure the story was done justice and told properly. No, this isn't the end...so much more to come! Thank you for the reviews and I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

* * *

" Nat. Wake up." Natalie stirred, reluctant to awaken from her deep sleep. She slowly opened her eyes to find Connor standing over her.

" What time is it?" she asked as she sat up and stretched.

" A little after 7p. I was just heading home, but wanted to stop in before I left. It's a good thing I did."

" What are you talking about?" Natalie questioned, her brain still foggy from sleep.

" His BP has been steadily rising since the last time I checked in on him. In fact, it's remained stable for the past few hours." Natalie found herself speechless as she took the tablet and saw the changes in Will's vitals.

" Are you staying tonight?" asked Connor.

" Just until Jay gets back in a few hours."

" Call me if there are any changes. I just put in an order to start weaning the sedation meds. We'll see how he's doing in the morning, but it appears as if he's turned a corner. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a date with my king size bed."

" See you in the morning."

* * *

Jay stifled a yawn as he glanced at the clock in Will's room. 4:17 a.m. He had gotten about 2 hours of sleep in the past 36 hours. That was nothing in comparison to the long stretches of time he spent awake when he had been overseas. He took a long drink of coffee that contained three extra shots of espresso. While the added caffeine was keeping him awake, it was also making Jay feel listless. He had no patience when it came to sitting still. Jay could feel the anxiety building as he sat up in his chair, feeling the sudden urge to do something, anything.

" I know you're in there somewhere. You can't give up this easily. You're a Halstead- we're fighters. I need this to be okay. I need you to be here. Natalie and Owen need you. I know we aren't nearly as close as we used to be. I feel so stupid right now. I was so pissed at you after Mom passed. The truth is, I felt abandoned. You went off to New York and I was left here by myself. We sure as hell know Michael wasn't around. I missed you. I missed my brother, my partner in crime. You weren't there to call me an asshole when I screwed up. You weren't there to give me advice or just to talk. It's taken me all of these years to realize you weren't ignoring me. You were coping the best you knew how to. Instead of bottling it up like I did and still do, you channeled Michael. You drank too much, partied all night, and lord knows what else. I know I'm rambling...I've never been good with words. I…" Jay stopped mid-sentence as he felt something brush against his arm.

" I've had too much caffeine," he muttered. As Jay leaned back in towards Will's bedside, he felt it again.

" Great. I'm losing my mind now," Jay said as he looked around, trying to find a logical source for what he was feeling. He nearly fell off his chair when his eyes laid upon Will's hand twitching as he reached for his brother again. Jay found himself fumbling with his cellphone as he selected Connor's number from his contact list and hit send. After half a dozen rings, Jay was sent to voicemail.

" You've reached the voicemail of Dr. Connor Rhodes…"

" Damn it Rhodes!" exclaimed Jay as he hung up and immediately redialed the number. After repeating this process three separate times, Jay breathed a sigh of relief as Connor picked up on the other end.

" Hello?" he mumbled sleepily.

" It's Jay. Natalie told me you said to call if there were any changes," he said hurriedly.

" Slow down. What's going on?" Connor asked.

" He's moving his hands."

" When?"

" Just now. Three times in a row."

" I'll be there in fifteen minutes," Connor instructed as he hung up.

* * *

Twenty-five minutes later Connor stumbled into the ICU wearing grey sweatpants and a navy blue hoodie.

" I thought you said 15 minutes," Jay said as Connor entered the room.

" About that. You're going to be getting a phone call from an Officer Swanson," replied Connor.

" How fast did he clock you at?" asked Jay with a smirk.

" 60 in a 35," answered Connor as he turned towards Will.

" Will, it's Connor. Jay is here with me too." The room was nearly silent as they stood, waiting in hopes for some sort of reaction. Neither of them expected though to see Will's eyes slowly opening, squinting as he adjusted to the light in the room.

" Show off," mumbled Jay. Connor couldn't help but crack a smile as Will mustered up the strength to raise his middle finger in Jay's direction.

" Your lungs are sounding better," stated Connor as he placed his stethoscope back around his neck.

I know you're not going to be very happy with me, but I want to wait to extubate you until I can get a few tests ordered and get a new series of chest x-rays to determine the status of the hemopneumothorax." Will was too exhausted to 'argue' with Connor. Instead he closed his eyes knowing sleep would come soon. Connor and Jay quietly exited into the hallway.

* * *

" This is all good news, right?" Jay asked anxiously.

" I've got to be honest with you," started Connor as he grabbed a tablet.

I wasn't sure if he was going to survive the surgery. Will was in bad shape. Worse shape than I let on. At this point, barring any complications, I think he's on his way to making a full recovery."

" Thanks man," Jay said as Connor finished ordering the needed tests and scans.

* * *

" Dr. Rhodes, Dr. Halstead's results just got sent over from Hematology," spoke a nurse as Connor stepped out from the locker room about thirty minutes later. He had traded his sweats for a fresh pair of scrubs, his dark hair still wet from the shower he had just taken.

" Thanks Grace," replied Connor as he took the tablet from her, carefully examining the results as he walked towards the ICU. He quietly slipped into Will's room and placed the tablet he was holding on a nearby counter. Connor turned around to find Will's eyes wide open once again.

" Your blood gas is showing increased oxygenation and the left lung looks stable. I want to leave the chest tube in a little while longer, but what do you say to losing the respirator?" Will slowly nodded his head yes, anxious to have the tube taken out.  
" You know the drill," Connor said as he tugged on a pair of gloves then proceeded to disconnect the respirator from the tube snaking from Will's mouth.

1...2...3." Will's throat felt as if it were on fire as Connor slid the tube out. Once it was removed, Will found himself coughing uncontrollably.

" You did good," stated Connor as he listened to Will's lungs before placing him on oxygen.

" Who?" croaked Will.

" Who tubed you? Choi."

" Stick him...on...third...shift," responded Will as he began coughing once again, his throat extremely raw and irritated.

" Try not to talk. You're going to be pretty sore for quite awhile,"

" Nat." The name came out a mere whisper.

" I'm actually getting ready to head down to the ER now. I'll see if I can find her." Will smiled appreciatively.

" I'll check back in later."

* * *

Just a few minutes later, Connor stepped off the elevator into a seemingly calm ER. Knowing that could change in an instant, he headed towards the nurse's station where Maggie sat typing at a computer.

" Hey Maggie, have you seen Natalie?"

" I think she's in the lounge," responded the nurse without looking up from her computer. Connor took off walking in the direction of the lounge. He walked in to find Natalie preparing to pour a cup of coffee.

" Hey Nat. Are you busy?"

" What's going on?" she asked worriedly, putting down an empty coffee cup.

" I need you to come upstairs with me," Connor replied solemnly as he led Natalie into the hallway.

" Is Will okay? Did something happen?" Connor remained silent as they stepped onto the elevator. Natalie paced back and forth in the small, enclosed space as they rode up to the ICU.

" Damn it Connor! Tell me what's going on!" Natalie demanded as they exited the elevator. Without a word, he led her towards Will's room. As they reached the room, Connor held his arm out to stop Natalie.

" I want you to prepare yourself," he said quietly as he avoided eye contact.

" What do you mean, 'prepare myself'?" she asked before stepping around Connor.

" Just…" started Connor before Natalie ripped the curtain open to reveal a sleeping Will.

" He's…" Natalie found herself speechless as tears of happiness began rolling down her cheeks. She slid into a chair beside Will's bed and let the tears flow, feeling so happy, so relieved that he was alive.

* * *

" Hey." The sound of Will's raspy voice left Natalie smiling as she looked up at him and did her best to wipe away her tears.

" You don't know how good it is to hear your voice," she managed to say, her voice heavy with emotion. Despite her best efforts to stop the tears from flowing, Natalie felt her cheeks dampen as she reached for Will's hand. Will weakly raised his other hand and ran it over her face, wiping away the tears as they continued to fall.

" I thought...I thought I had lost you too."

" You'll...never...lose me," Will said hoarsely, causing Natalie to cry harder.

" When we found you...when Connor told us he didn't know...that first night. I didn't sleep. I sat beside you, watching your chest rise and fall with one eye as the other watched your vitals. I realized that night just how much you mean to me. How much you mean to Owen. How much you love him. How much you love me. I realized that night too just how much I love you," Natalie stated passionately as she locked eyes with Will before leaning in and kissing him.

You need to rest. I'll come back later in between patients."

" Love you," Will murmured tiredly as he close his eyes.

" Love you too."

* * *

I'll never stop trying  
I'll never stop watching as you leave  
I'll never stop losing my breath  
Every time I see you looking back at me

I'll never stop holding your hand  
I'll never stop opening your door  
I'll never stop choosing you babe  
I'll never get used to you...

And with this love song to you  
It's not a momentary phase  
You are my life, I don't deserve you  
But you love me just the same...  
~Safety Suit~ Never Stop


	11. Enemies

I meant to have this posted last week, but I've caught the awful upper respiratory infection that's been going around. Sorry this is such a random chapter. (Next chapter will feature an adorable reunion between Will and Owen!) Hopefully it holds you all over till the next new episode! Am I the only one anxiously waiting for that scene between Natalie and Will?

* * *

Where did you think you could go?

Cause everyone already knows,

It's twenty to one  
Yeah, so you better run!  
~Shinedown~ Enemies

* * *

" Natalie. Connor was looking for you earlier. Did he find you?" asked Maggie.

" He did," replied Natalie, a smile spreading across across her face as she sat down beside Maggie at the nurse's station.

" You're certainly in a good mood," observed the nurse.

" Will's awake. Connor took him off the ventilator early this morning," Natalie said happily.

" Are you serious? That's great news!" declared Maggie.

" Did I just hear you say that Will's awake?" asked Ethan as he approached the two women.

" He is," replied Natalie.

" Dr. Manning. I have a patient waiting in Exam 5," declared a nurse.

" I'll be right there."

* * *

" Do you mind if we make a quick stop at Med?" Jay asked as he climbed in the passenger's seat of Erin's car.

" I could just leave you there. We both know Voight isn't going to let you anywhere near Intelligence until after we nab Marcus," Erin stated as Jay hung his shield around his neck.

" I'm sure Platt will find great joy in assigning me some sort of ridiculous task to pass the time," Jay answered sarcastically.

" She made Burgess wax and wash the patrol cars not too long ago."

" Not happening," declared Jay as Erin's phone rang through the car's speakers.

" Where are you?" Voight's voice echoed.

" On my way to Med with Jay."

" Take me off speaker," he ordered. Erin looked apologetically at Jay before grabbing her cell and switching the call over. After a few minutes she hung up.

" What was that about?" asked Jay.

Do they have Marcus in custody?"

" You know I can't tell you."

" Come on Erin. I'm not stupid. Obviously Voight told you something he didn't want me overhearing." Erin sighed as they pulled over in front of Med.

" We have a lead."

" And?"

" And I'm not saying anymore." Jay glared angrily at Erin before ripping open the door and climbing out of the car.

I'm sorry," stated Erin as he slammed the door shut and walked off.

* * *

Jay was fuming as he entered the ER. He quickly spied Connor to his right, exiting a treatment room.

" Rhodes!" Connor turned and headed towards Jay upon hearing his name.

" What's up?"

" Give me your keys," Jay ordered.

" Excuse me?"

" I said give me your keys. Now."

" What in the hell do you need my keys for?" Connor asked quizzically as he slowly pulled a set of keys out of his lab coat pocket.

" I'll explain later," Jay said, grabbing the keys and taking off for the doors he had just entered through, leaving Connor to contemplate what had just happened.

* * *

Jay pulled his cellphone out as he ran down a sidestreet in search of Connor's SUV.

" Dispatch."

" This is Detective Jay Halstead. Badge # 51163. I need Erin Lindsey's last known location," he instructed as he stopped beside the Lexus and unlocked it.

" Uniformed patrol was just requested for backup at 721 Burmonte Avenue." Jay hung up and tossed his phone into the passenger's seat as he started the SUV. He quickly gunned the engine and peeled rubber down the street. Somehow he managed to not get pulled over as he tested the SUV's speed capacity. Before he knew it, he was careening onto Burmonte Avenue. Jay came to a screeching halt behind Atwater's car and jumped out of Connor's SUV.

" Sir. You can't park here," shouted an officer. Jay flashed his badge and attempted to shove past the young rookie cop, but found himself being held back.

" Detective Halstead, I've been instructed to not allow you inside the perimeter."

" I'll take my chances," he said before rushing past the officer.

" Back off Detective!" Voight's voice stopped Jay in his tracks. He turned around to find Atwater and Voight dragging a struggling Marcus Reed between them.

" You son of a bitch!" Jay exclaimed as he lunged for Marcus who promptly head butted Jay, splitting his lip open.

" Come on boys. Let me beat his ass just like I did his brother's," challenged Marcus.

" Give me five minutes with him Sarge," Jay growled as he spit out a mouthful of blood.

" Yeah Sarge. Give me five minutes with him," Marcus taunted.

" Here's the problem with that Marcus. You see, if I let you go now, Detective Halstead here is going to beat your sorry ass to death. I want you to rot in prison for all of the meth Dominic has put on my streets." Jay watched with great pleasure as Atwater shoved Marcus into a waiting patrol car, "accidentally" smacking his head against the door frame.

Go return whoever's car your stole. I've got this." Jay sighed, feeling frustrated as he headed back to Connor's SUV. He wanted nothing more than to turn around and grab Marcus from the patrol car before beating him senseless. Deep down he knew doing so wouldn't help matters at all, but that didn't mean that Jay still didn't want to make the wrong decision. Voight would take care of Marcus one way or another.

* * *

" Heads up Rhodes!" Jay exclaimed as he stepped off the elevator. Connor turned around with just enough time to catch his keys as Jay lobbed them across the hallway.

" Is it still in one piece?" inquired Connor.

" For the most part."

" What do you mean 'for the most part'? What the hell did you do to my car?"

" It's not that much blood," Jay said, pausing as Connor noticed the fresh cut on Jay's face.

" Seriously?"

" Relax. I bit down on a piece of gauze the whole way back. Your leather interior is spotless."

" I'm going to kill you," Connor stated simply as they entered Will's room.

* * *

" What was...that about?" asked Will.

" Your brother is an ass," Connor replied.

" I could have told you that."

" Thanks man." retorted Jay.

" What...the hell...happened to your face?"

" He fell," replied Connor sarcastically.

" Seriously? They didn't give...me...a lobotomy," responded Will, unable to hold back his laughter. He quickly regretted that decision however as the laughter turned into a painful fit of coughing. He winced as he struggled to breathe, but thankfully was able to soon succeed in catching his breath.

Shit...that hurt," gasped Will, his voice still raspy.

" How's your pain been?"

" Can't complain."

" I'd like to tell you it's going to get better, but as the nerve block and sedation meds continue to wear off, you're going to feel like shit."

" Great bedside manner you've got there."

" I've got a standing order in for additional pain meds if you need them. I don't want your blood pressure spiking right now," Connor explained as he moved aside Will's gown, revealing two large bandages in addition to the dressing that was securing his chest tube. He gently peeled back the two bandages, each revealing garish incisions.

" Thanks for the warning," Jay said, the animosity he felt towards Marcus suddenly rising as he caught sight of the wounds. Will was silent as he looked down and caught a brief view of what seemed like a sea of stitches and staples.

" Have they caught him?" asked Will.

" We actually just took a suspect into custody not too long ago."

" Is that why you stole my car?" wondered Connor as he finished applying a new set of bandages.

" You stole his car?" questioned a puzzled and tired Will.

" Another long story," Jay quipped as Connor's pager went off.

" Damn it. I need to take this. Make sure he gets some sleep," ordered Connor as he ran out of the room.

" He's right. You looked exhausted. You should rest," Jay pointed out.

" And miss hearing...about whatever happened to your face? Or how...you stole Rhodes' Lexus…" Will's voice trailed off as he let out a long yawn.

" I promise I'll explain it all later. I actually came up here just to give you this," said Jay as he pulled a silver chain out of his pocket.

They gave me your belongings last night after they cleared everything through evidence. I thought you'd like to have this back." A tired smile spread across Will's face as Jay carefully hung Will's St. Christopher medal back around his neck.

" Thanks," Will murmured as he closed his eyes, finally surrendering to the exhaustion that had been threatening to overtake him.


	12. Home

I'm so sorry this took so long to post. It's been an extremely hectic past few weeks. I know I mentioned a Will/Owen reunion, but I found myself writing this chapter in a somewhat different direction than I had intended. I could have added it in to this chapter, but as I've said before it would have just made things much more awkward writing wise. (I know I'm not the only one who has been loving the past few episodes! They need to just write Nina off and be done with that...ZERO chemistry between her and Will.) Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy!

* * *

So smile at me, baby, take my breath away  
With the good Lord willing, I'll be happy to say...  
~Blue October~ Home

* * *

"I missed you yesterday," Will said as he awoke the next morning to find Natalie sitting beside his bed.

" I stopped in a few times actually, but you were asleep."

" You could have woke me up," argued Will.  
" I tried to the first time. You mumbled something about bacon and fell back asleep."  
" Do you work today?"

" I do. I just dropped Owen off at daycare and was on my way to the ER actually," she explained as she watched Will's pale face light up at the mention of Owen.

" Will you bring him?"

" As soon as you're out of the ICU," Natalie promised with a smile.

" Thanks," said Will, flashing her a weak, yet appreciative smile back.

" I wondered if I was ever going to get to see that smile again," she stated, suddenly choking back tears.

" Stop it. No more tears," insisted Will, causing Natalie to cry harder.

I mean it," he said as he managed to pull her towards him and kiss her. The two were still kissing when a light knock sounded on the glass door.

* * *

" Can we come in?" Jay asked awkwardly as the two separated.

" Bad timing man," Will said as his brother entered, followed by Voight and Erin.

" Good to have you back with us Dr. Halstead," Voight declared as he walked to Will's bedside.

" Thanks."

" I'm sure Jay has already mentioned we have a suspect in custody. Would you be willing to look at some mugshots and see if you recognize anyone?"

" Sure," Will responded as Voight handed him a sheet of photographs.

That's him," he said, immediately pointing to Marcus.

" Are you sure?" asked Erin.

" The bastard looked me straight in the eye when...he stuck his switchblade...in my gut. I'm sure," said Will, inhaling deeply as he closed his eyes.

" Are you okay?" Natalie asked, instantly picking up on Will's discomfort.

" I'm fine," he insisted though the pained look on his face said otherwise.

" Maybe we should go," Jay suggested.

" No. I'm fine."

" We'll need to get your statement at some point," Voight started as the door slid open again and Connor stepped in.

" I know you're not all in here interrogating my patient right now."

" They're fine," Will replied.

" No they're not. You don't get to make that call. Whatever they want can wait," Connor said sternly as he glared at Voight.

" I'll be back later for that statement," declared Voight as he, Jay, and Erin quickly exited.

* * *

" You sure know how to clear a room," Will stated.

" I just got out of a gory trauma. The guy bled out before we could get him to the OR. I barely had enough time for a protein bar while I looked at your latest x-rays and blood tests on the elevator ride up here. I've got back to back surgeries that start in less than an hour, so if you want me to take your chest tube out today, it needs to be now," Connor said in a rush as he pulled on a pair of gloves and a trauma gown.

" Do you want some help?" asked Natalie from where she was still sitting.

" That would be great," responded Connor as he handed Natalie a set of gloves and safety glasses before removing the dressing that had been guarding the chest tube. He quickly snipped the stitches that had been securing the tubing as Natalie stood beside him, preparing a new bandage to cover the wound once the tube was out.

" Are you ready?" Will nodded.

When I say go, I need you to hold your breath until I tell you to stop. 1...2...3...Go!" Will managed to start holding his breath just as Connor tugged on the tube, pulling it out. As the tube slid out, Will felt like his insides were being sucked out by a vacuum hose. Once the chest tube was fully removed, Natalie quickly covered the incision with a fresh dressing, securing it with strips of medical tape.

" Exhale," instructed Connor. As the air slowly escaped his lungs, Will was consumed by a vicious pain in his chest. He could hear the heart monitor beeping faster as he struggled for air, his level of pain rising.

Are you okay?"

" Can I get some of those extra pain meds?" he asked, gritting his teeth in pain. It was as if all of his pain chose that precise moment to steamroll him.

" I'll send a nurse right in," Connor responded as he pulled off his gown and gloves.

Somebody from Radiology will be in shortly. Try to get some rest in the meantime. If you're still improving and feel up for it later, I want to get you sitting up and out of bed." Will mumbled a barely coherent thanks as Connor exited. Natalie felt her heart ache as she watched Will's pained expressions.

* * *

" Can I do anything?" she asked, feeling helpless.

" Talk."

" Ethan got pepper sprayed by an elderly woman last night in the ER," said Natalie randomly.

" Agnes?"

" Am I the only one that hasn't met Agnes before?"

" Consider yourself lucky. She's a crotchety old bitch. She sprayed me last month because I asked her how old she was," explained Will as the door slid open and a nurse stepped in to administer the medication. Will closed his eyes, waiting for the medicine to take effect.

" Do you want me to stay while you fall back asleep?" Will nodded as he reached out for Natalie's hand, a smiling spreading across his face when the two hands joined. Natalie knew she should be getting downstairs to start her shift, but in this moment, being by Will's side was more important.

You know, the sooner you get up out of bed, the sooner you'll get out of the ICU."

" Mhmm," Will mumbled sleepily. Natalie dropped his hand as his body relaxed, slipping into a sound sleep. She checked her watch quickly as she stood. If she hurried, she'd have time to grab a cup of coffee.

* * *

Will awoke hours later feeling somewhat refreshed. Between the sleep and extra pain meds, the intense pain he had been feeling was approaching a bearable level.

" Hey. You're awake," April said as she suddenly stepped into his room.

Natalie got tied up with a patient so she asked me to come check up on you. Is there anything you need?"

" Actually would you mind doing me a favor?"

" Okay?" asked a hesitant April.

" Do you have enough time to help me out of bed and into a chair?" Will wondered.

" Have you been out of bed on your own yet?" she inquired.

" You mean other than that mile I ran this morning?"

" Somehow I missed that," April replied with a smile as she pushed the recliner closer to Will's bedside. She carefully adjusted the plethora of wires and tubes before lowering the side rails so he would be able to get out of bed easier. Will slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed and pulled himself to an upright position. He clutched onto the mattress for support as he steadied himself from the sudden wave of dizziness that had overcome him.

* * *

" Are you okay?" asked a concerned April.

" Just give me a second," Will insisted as he took several deep breaths in attempts to stop the room from spinning. After a few minutes he was able to regain his equilibrium.

" Ready?" Will nodded before grabbing April's outstretched hands and slowly pulling himself onto his feet. He could feel his body sway as he stood up, his legs feeling like jelly. Will tightened his grip on April as his legs threatened to give out from underneath him.

" You've got this," April said encouragingly. He slowly made his way to the recliner and immediately collapsed into it, feeling exhausted from the short trek.

" Do you want to get back in bed?" asked April as she placed him back on the oxygen.

" Hell no. Not after all of that." April grabbed a warm blanket and draped it over Will's legs.

I'll pay you $50 to take this damn catheter out though."  
" Nice try," April responded with a laugh.

" They're awful."

" So I've heard," she said as Will let out a long yawn.

" Thanks for the help."

" Don't mention it," replied April as she backed out of the room quietly, leaving Will so he could get some rest.


	13. Chasing Cars

I need your grace

To remind me  
To find my own

If I lay here  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told  
Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am  
All that I ever was  
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see...  
~Snow Patrol~ Chasing Cars~

Here's to more of Will and Natalie hopefully next season! As always, read, review, and enjoy! This was one of my favorite chapters to write!

* * *

Jay awoke to the sound of the apartment's intercom buzzing early the next morning. He begrudgingly dragged himself out of bed, careful not to wake Erin who was still sleeping. They had both gotten home just a few hours before, exhausted from a lengthy stakeout.

" Who is it?" he asked sleepily, stumbling to the front door.

" It's Natalie." A yawn escaped Jay's mouth as he pressed the buzzer, allowing Natalie entry into the apartment building. He walked over to the kitchen and was surprised to see it was almost 8:00 a.m. Jay had just enough time to turn on the coffee maker before hearing a soft knock on the door. After undoing the locks, he opened the door and found Natalie holding Owen's carseat.

" Sorry I didn't call first. Connor just texted to tell me that Will's being moved into a regular room. I thought I'd grab some of his things if that's okay?"

" Sure. His room is down the hall on the left."

" Thanks," replied Natalie as she stepped into the apartment with Owen and started down the hallway. She flipped on a light switch just inside the door to Will's room, revealing its sparsely decorated walls. A queen sized bed was centered underneath the room's small, lone window, covered with a chocolate brown comforter. His guitar was propped up next to his nightstand. Natalie grabbed a book bag that had been abandoned next to a small bookcase that was overflowing with medical books and a surprising amount of classic books. She placed Owen's seat on the floor then flipped on a small lamp that sat atop Will's dresser.

* * *

The edges of the dresser's small mirror were adorned with an array of pictures. There were shots of Will and Jay together at Cubs games and various holiday parties. She paused to examine a worn picture of a young Will wearing a baseball uniform, his unruly red hair poking out from all angles underneath a hat. As she looked over more pictures, her attention was drawn to the bottom portion of the mirror. There were several pictures of her and Owen together as well as ones that featured her and Will. What appeared to be the newest picture sat smack dab in the middle of them all and was one she had never seen before. Will was holding a sleeping Owen while he looked at the child adoringly. Natalie quickly tucked it inside her bag with a smile before unzipping Will's bookbag. She opened the drawer closest to her and found a mound of socks and boxers. Unsure of how much longer Will would be staying at Med, she tossed in five pairs of each. The next drawer held a slew of t-shirts. After placing a stack of shirts inside the bag, Natalie began opening drawers in hopes of finding pajamas or sweats. She opened two separate drawers before finding several pairs of pajama pants and an additional pile of sweat pants. Beside her Owen cooed as she packed up the pants and grabbed a random hooded sweatshirt from the closet before zipping up the bag and tossing it over her shoulder.

" No sugar, just creamer. Right?" asked Jay as she walked back into the kitchen.

" Thank you so much," Natalie raved as he handed her a Chicago Cubs travel mug.

" Just don't break that," he said, eyeing the mug.

" Why so?"

" We got it at a World Series game."

" How did you score tickets to that without going broke?" wondered Natalie, taking a sip of coffee.

" I knew a guy who knew a guy," Jay explained innocently as he grabbed a small bag containing Will's iPhone, iPad, and chargers.

Do you want some help?"

" That would be great," Natalie responded as Jay slid on a pair of shoes before taking Owen's carseat from her. They stepped out into the hallway and made the short trek to the elevator.

You don't have to go all the way down with us."

" It's fine. Besides, I've never gotten to meet this little guy," said Jay.

" He's pretty amazing," Natalie replied.

" Are we talking about Owen or Will?" Jay challenged as the elevator reached the lobby.

" Both," she stated with a smile as Jay held open the lobby door so she could exit first.

" You know, I've never gotten the chance to say thank you," said Jay as Natalie took Owen from him.

" For what?" Natalie asked quizzically before securing Owen's carseat.

" Being there for him this past week. I haven't been able to be at the hospital as much as I would like, but I know he's been in good hands," explained Jay.

" You're welcome. I just wish I could have been there more," Natalie said.

" Don't kid yourself. You've done plenty," reasoned Jay.

* * *

Will sighed in frustration as he flipped through the television channels. He was thankful to be out of the ICU, but found himself battling boredom already. He had no desire to watch the various morning talk shows or what seemed like an endless array of Keeping Up With The Kardashians or Real Housewives of New York. Will found himself perking up as a knock sounded on his door and Natalie poked her head in.

" Are you up for some visitors?"

" Is one of them under three feet tall with no teeth?" Will asked hopefully.

" You got me," responded Natalie with a laugh as she pushed the door open wider, revealing Owen who was sitting on her hip.

" Bring him over," insisted Will as he stretched out his arms.

" Are you sure? I don't want him to accidentally hurt you."

" We'll be fine," Will said assuredly. Natalie carefully placed Owen on his lap and watched as the infant's face lit up at the sight of Will.

Hey bud. I've missed you." Owen squealed in delight as Will gently tickled him before propping the infant up against his legs. He wiped away a stray tear as he locked eyes with Owen.

" I was worried that I was never going to see you again," whispered Will. Owen responded by grabbing onto Will's finger. The two stayed like that for several minutes, content with just staring at each other. Natalie found herself watching the pair, wondering how she had gotten so lucky. She took a long drink of coffee then sat the mug back down so she could watch Will interacting with Owen.

" Is that my coffee mug?" he asked curiously as he turned towards Natalie.

" Sorry. I meant to tell you that we stopped by your place this morning to get you some things. Watching you with Owen distracted me," she admitted as she placed the bag containing Will's phone, iPad, and chargers on the bedside table.

" You're amazing," Will stated while Natalie began unpacking his clothes.

" Do you want to get dressed?"

" Why? Does this gown make my ass look big?" Natalie started laughing as she laid out a change of clothes.

" What makes you think I've been checking out your ass?" she challenged.

" Maybe because I've been checking out yours?" muttered Will.

" What was that?"

" Can you help me change out of this flattering outfit?"

" Of course," Natalie replied as she reached behind Will's neck to untie his hospital gown. It fell around his waist and allowed for Will to get a better view of the various incisions that covered his chest and stomach. An awkward silence fell over the room as he attempted to process the damage the attack had done to his body.

" Chicks dig scars...right?"

" Maybe," Natalie said coyly as she began unplugging Will from the various monitors he was attached to.

" Your mommy is a bad liar," Will whispered to Owen.

* * *

" Hey!" Natalie responded playfully as she handed Will a shirt. He carefully pulled the shirt over his head then laid back so Natalie could put him back on oxygen and reattach the various wires leading from his body.

" How did you convince someone to take out your catheter?" she asked, handing him a pair of boxers and pants.

" I took it out myself."

" You're not a very patient patient," Natalie observed as she took Owen from Will.

" I don't have a patient bone in my body," insisted Will.

" I can believe that," said Natalie as Owen began getting fussy.

" Let me have him," Will stated.

" You don't even have your pants on!" Natalie argued as she pulled a pacifier out of her purse and gave it to Owen.

" I do now," remarked Will smugly before awkwardly tugging his pants on.

" He probably needs a nap. He's been up since 5 a.m.," responded Natalie, stifling a yawn.

" Let me see him," repeated Will as Owen spit the pacifier out in Natalie's hand. She gave in, placing Owen on Will's lap once again before handing Will the pacifier. Owen's cries initially intensified, but grew quieter once he realized who was holding him. Will carefully laid Owen against his chest and began rubbing his back. Owen began to visibly relax as his eyelids grew heavy.

" I should take him before he…" she started but was interrupted by a soft 'ssshhh' from Will.

" This has to be one of the best feelings in the world," he said quietly as he stared at a now sleeping Owen.

" It is," replied Natalie, sitting back as she took in the heartwarming scene in front of her.

" I think I'm going to join him," Will said with a yawn.

" Sleep tight," Natalie whispered before gently kissing each of their cheeks.


	14. Whatever It Takes

Author's note: Am I the only one anxiously awaiting the season premier this fall? Until then, here's a nice long chapter to hold you over. Just a few more chapters until the end :(  
(Don't worry, I'm already planning on a sequel of sorts to this story, playing around with a few other ideas, and am also working on a separate story that delves into the unraveling of the Will/Nina fiasco. Keeping in mind that I'm not a huge fan of writing sappy, "fluffy" type stories, feel free to private message me any suggestions for Will/Nat, Will/Jay, or just plain ol' Will stories you would like to "see" play out.)

* * *

Will awoke two days later with a sense of determination. Natalie and Owen had stopped by again yesterday evening before going home after Natalie's shift. After they had left he had managed to convince Jay to help him take a short walk around the hallway outside his room. Will found himself driven to push his recovery so he could be discharged sooner rather than later. He wanted nothing more than to be able to spend as much time as possible with them outside of the hospital walls. Will slid down the bedrail and sat up, taking a few seconds to adjust to being upright. After attaching himself to a portable heart monitor, Will stood and grabbed onto his IV pole for support. He took a few shaky steps before gaining his bearings. Thankfully there was no one in the hallway as he exited. That's all he needed was for someone to try and persuade him to get back in bed since he had yet to walk anywhere on his own yet. His stride grew more stable the closer he got to the elevator. The elevator doors slid open and Will entered, dragging his IV stand behind him. He pressed the button for the ground floor then leaned against the rear wall of the elevator. Will felt the elevator stop moments later, a quiet ping signaling that he had reached his destination. He waited for the doors to once again open and found himself face to face with Sharon Goodwin when they did.

* * *

" Ms. Goodwin," Will simply stated as he stepped off the elevator.

" Dr. Halstead. It's good to see you back on your feet. How are you feeling?"

" I'd say I've been better, but I think that's pretty obvious," he replied.

" Don't over do it now. Your body has been through alot and you need plenty of time to heal," she reasoned.

" No need to worry. Just stretching my legs," said Will. Sharon stepped forward, carefully enveloping Will in a hug.

" I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, but you had us worried there. Take care of yourself."

" Will do," he said as she released him and headed back towards her office. Will continued his journey as he turned a corner and found an oblivious Natalie just a few feet away, standing next to a supply cart.

* * *

" Hey beautiful," he stated as he walked up behind her. Natalie turned around, clearly surprised to hear Will's voice.

" What are you doing down here?" she asked as Will leaned in and kissed her.

" I got bored," replied Will.

" Are you sure you're ready to be up and walking like this?"

" I have to build my strength up somehow," Will pointed out as Natalie selected a suture kit.

" True. I just don't want you to jeopardize your recovery," Natalie reasoned.

" I'll be fine," he stated.

" I need to get back to my patient. If you want to stick around for a little bit maybe we can grab an early lunch when I'm done?"

" Sounds good to me," he replied as he gave Natalie a second kiss. He watched her walk away before continuing down the hallway.

* * *

" What do you think you're doing?" Will stopped in his tracks at the sound of Maggie's voice.

" Good to see you too Maggie," he replied.

" You should be resting. You're going to over do it."

" Relax. I'm actually on my way to the lounge to lay down before Natalie and I go to lunch."

" Good."

" Have a good day," commented Will.

" Mhmm," she muttered before running off towards the ambulance bay, the sound of an alarm notifying her of an incoming patient. A part of Will wanted to follow Maggie and dive into whatever bloody trauma surely awaited. The rational side of him knew doing so would be too taxing on his body. Will sullenly dragged his IV stand a few more feet before reaching the ER's lounge. He pushed the door open and found the room empty. After stretching out on the overstuffed futon, Will grabbed a stray copy of the National Enquirer and began flipping through it. He was a few paragraphs into a story about the latest Bigfoot sighting when the door swung open.

* * *

" You must be really bored." Will looked over the top of the magazine to find Connor staring at him.

" If you would just go ahead and discharge me I wouldn't have to be camping out in the lounge reading Maggie's trash magazines."

"And tear you away from such fascinating literature? I wouldn't dare," Connor remarked sarcastically.

" Did you know some lady saw Big Foot roaming around New York City?"

" Was he hanging out with Elvis?" asked Connor.

" No. Elvis was in Los Angeles at a Dodgers game. Get your story straight," Will said with a laugh before throwing the magazine onto a table.

Hey, could you hand me that blanket?" Will asked, stifling a yawn. Connor grabbed a nearby blanket and tossed it to Will as his pager began beeping.

" Great. They're rushing one of my patients back to the OR. No rest for the wicked," he said with a sigh.

" If you see Nat, let her know where I am?"

" Got it," Connor stated as he ran out the door.

* * *

" Hey sleeping beauty," Natalie said, entering the lounge a few hours later.

" What time is it?"

" A little after 1:30 p.m. I came by a few hours ago and you were sound asleep."

" Have you had lunch yet?"

" I was actually just about ready to meet up with this great looking guy I know," she said.

" Oh really? Anyone I know?"

" It's Gus."

" The bald janitor that only has nine fingers?"

" He's so irresistible," responded Natalie, doing her best to not crack a smile as Will stood and followed her out into the ER.

" I hate to break it to you, but I'm pretty sure Gus is married."

" Well damn. I guess you'll have to do then," Natalie stated, eliciting a laugh from Will while they headed for the elevators.

Are you okay?" asked a concerned Natalie as Will suddenly grimaced beside her.

" Just a muscle spasm. I'm not used to being laid up for so long."

" Are you sure?"

" I'm fine," he said somewhat hesitantly as they continued down the hallway. Just a few steps later Will paused, gripping Natalie's hand tighter as he did so.

" Maybe we should sit down so you can rest for a little bit," suggested Natalie.

" I'm good," replied Will, his voice full of uncertainty. Something wasn't right. Out of nowhere a sharp pain in his side stopped Will in his tracks. He let go of Natalie's hand and attempted to take a few steps on his own. After just a few feet, Will braced himself against the wall and grabbed hold of his side.

" I think...I'm going to have to take...a raincheck on lunch," he said, gritting his teeth in pain as he slid to the floor. Fear filled his eyes as he pulled his hand away and found it covered in blood.

" Will!" she shouted, kneeling down beside his slumped over body.

Somebody! Help!"

* * *

Ethan was just exiting the lounge when he heard Natalie's cry for help. He followed her voice around a corner and found her beside a partially collapsed Will.

" What happened?" asked a concerned Ethan as he grabbed a pair of gloves.

" We were going to grab lunch and he just doubled over with no warning."

" Will, I need you to move your hand so I can get a better look." Will reluctantly dropped his hand to his side, revealing a large bloodstain on his shirt. Ethan carefully rolled up the shirt and found blood coming from one of Will's incisions.

It looks like some of your stitches tore open. Do you think you can stand?" Will nodded before reaching for Ethan's outstretched arms. Natalie grabbed his IV stand and slowly followed behind the two men.

" Maggie, what's open?"

" Exam two...what the hell happened?"

" Bar fight," Will retorted with a wry smile.

" I'll page Dr. Rhodes," offered Maggie as she rolled her eyes and walked out.

" Thanks Maggie," Ethan shouted before helping Will out of his shirt.

" We don't need to drag Rhodes into this," argued Will.

" I'm sure I don't need to, but the fact that you just had your chest tube removed means we need to make sure your lungs are stable and there's no internal damage done." Will groaned and laid back against a pillow knowing that Ethan was right.

" I knew you were doing too much too soon," Natalie lamented.

" It's just a few stitches."

" A few stitches? What if it causes your lung to collapse again and you wind up needing a second chest tube? You're leaving yourself open to infections not to mention a longer hospital stay." Will stared at her silently, knowing that nothing he said would bring an end to the argument.

" Let's wait until we get a chest x-ray before we start jumping to conclusions," Ethan suggested as a nurse entered.

" Dr. Rhodes just got out of surgery and will be down as soon as he speaks with the family. He wanted to make sure you've ordered a chest x-ray."

" Thanks Nora." said Ethan as he applied pressure with a stack of gauze he had just grabbed.

Do you think you can stay in one piece while I go get a suture kit?"

" I'll do my best," Will quipped.

* * *

" You're a pain in the ass," Connor declared as he entered the exam room, still dressed in his dark blue surgical scrubs and scrub cap.

" So I've been told," Will replied, watching Ethan stitch his incision back together.

" Chest x-ray looks good. You got lucky," said Connor as he turned to Ethan.

Put him on low flow oxygen to avoid any unnecessary strain on his lungs and keep him down here for observation for a few hours. Make sure you get a repeat chest x-ray before sending him back upstairs. I've got to head back up to the OR, but page me if anything changes," he instructed before handing Natalie his tablet and walking away.

" See?" Will said, looking at Natalie.

" I've got to go check on a patient," Natalie replied, hastily planting a kiss on Will's cheek before rushing out.

" What was that about?" Ethan asked, clipping a thread.

" I don't know," replied Will, his heart sinking as he watched Natalie walk away. What had just happened?

* * *

 _A strangled smile fell from your face_  
 _It kills me that I hurt you this way_  
 _The worst part is I didn't even know..._

 _~Lifehouse~ Whatever It Takes_


	15. The Reason

I apologize for taking so long to post this! I hope you enjoy and it's well worth the wait. I'm currently working on a second Will/Natalie story that picks up where the season finale leaves off. I plan on finishing this story up in a few chapters and then I'll post the new story. (Maybe I'll post the first chapter sooner than later!)

* * *

I'm not a perfect person

There's many things I wish I didn't do  
But I continue learning  
I never meant to do those things to you  
And so I have to say before I go  
That I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
And the reason is you...

~Hoobastank~ The Reason

* * *

" Where were you yesterday?" Will asked as Natalie entered his room the next morning.

" I was avoiding you," said Natalie very matter of factly.

" What's wrong?" he questioned.

" You were so...nonchalant about everything yesterday."

" I didn't want to worry you even more than I already had. The truth is I was terrified."

" And you don't think I wasn't terrified? When I saw the blood on your shirt...Will it was like being in that alley all over again," she said. Will felt like his heart was being crushed as he watched Natalie trying to hold back tears.

" The last thing I ever want to do is make you relive that night again. I'm so sorry," stated Will as he reached for her hand.

" Just try not to get killed again."

" I'll do my best," Will replied with a smile.

" Do you know when you're supposed to be getting out of here?" asked Natalie.

" After yesterday I'm convinced Rhodes is never going to discharge me. Instead he's going to kill me and make it look like an accident."

" He'd have to get through me first," Natalie declared.

" I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed. These beds are like sleeping on concrete."

" I can help with that," she said, taking her shoes off.

" What are you doing?" questioned Will.

" Trying to make this bed a little more comfortable. Now scoot over," she demanded before climbing into bed beside Will.

Is that better?"

" Much better," Will answered, wrapping his arm around her so she could lay her head on his shoulder.

" I've missed this."

" So have I," he replied, smiling as the scent of Natalie's lavender shampoo filled the air. Between their hectic work schedules colliding with Owen's varying schedule and this unexpected hospital stay, there hadn't been much time for just the two of them.

" I don't think I've ever noticed that scar," Natalie said, pointing to a spot on the underside of Will's chin.

" I was seven. Jay had just turned eight. We were going down to the corner store for Cokes and chips. I was sitting on the handlebars of Jay's bike. He swerved to avoid running over a damn squirrel and I face planted onto the sidewalk. Busted open my chin and knocked my front teeth out." A smile crept across Natalie's face as she imagined a much younger, toothless Will.

" It must have been great being so close in age."

" Depends on who you ask," Will said with a laugh.

" I was an only child. It got pretty lonely," argued Natalie as a knock sounded on the door and Connor entered. Natalie found herself sitting up quickly as she fixed her hair, her cheeks turning red at the thought of being caught in a compromising position by a co-worker.

" What do you say to getting out of here today?"

" Are you serious?" Will asked.

" If it hadn't been for your little stunt yesterday, I would have sent you home last night."

" And you thought he was plotting to kill you," Natalie joked.

" Believe me. The thought crossed my mind, but I don't look good in orange," Connor shot back.

I'll send a nurse in to remove all of your stitches and staples, excluding the ones Choi re-did yesterday."

" I can take care of that," offered Natalie.

" I'd prefer that there's someone that can stay with you for a few days on the off chance you experience complications from the hemopneumothorax. Ideally I'd like to see you take at least a month off work…" Connor said hesitantly.

" Two weeks," bargained Will.

" Four weeks."

" Two weeks."

" Keep pressing your luck and I'll make it eight."

" Anything else?" asked a defeated Will.

" Just the usual discharge instructions. Someone will bring those in before you leave."

Try to keep him from overdoing it. I'm sick of having Halstead blood on my hands," Connor said to Natalie before leaving.

" Why don't you call Jay while I go grab a staple remover and a kit to remove your stitches," suggested Natalie, tugging on her shoes. Will grabbed her hand as she stood and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

" Maybe you can round up one of those naughty nurse outfits too," hinted Will with a devilish grin.

" Call your brother," ordered a flustered Natalie, her cheeks reddening again as she left.

" Bad news," declared Natalie, re-entering Will's room a few minutes later, carrying a stack of supplies.

" What?"

" Housekeeping lost the extra nurse costume I keep in my locker."

" Those bastards," muttered Will, pulling up his shirt.

" Staples or stitches first?" Natalie asked, putting on a pair of gloves.

" Staples," Will conceded as his phone rang.

It's Jay," he stated before answering the phone.

" Hey man. What's up? I can barely hear you. You're where?" asked Will, wincing as Natalie removed the first staple.

" Sorry," she apologized.

They're wedged in there pretty good."

" Remind me to never let Rhodes near me with a staple gun again," responded Will after disconnecting from his call with Jay.

" So what did Jay have to say?"

" He's out with Erin running surveillance on a suspect. He has no clue when he'll be home. I've got a key though."

" You're supposed to have someone with you."

" What Rhodes doesn't know won't hurt him."

" You know, there's another option," Natalie said, pausing.

" Which is?"

" Why don't you stay with Owen and I for a few days?" she suggested before removing another staple.

" Are you serious?"

" I mean, you don't have to. It's just a thought."

" Nat, stop talking so I can say yes."

" Really?"

" All I've been able to think about laying here is spending more time with you two. All of this," he said, pointing to the various wounds on his chest.

All of this kind of put a damper on things."

" What? You mean mean me pulling staples out of your chest isn't romantic enough for you?" remarked Natalie with a laugh.

" Maybe if I were a masochist," joked Will. A silence fell over the pair while Natalie removed the remaining staples. After removing the last one she carefully applied several Steri-Strips to cover the incision.

" The stitches will be a breeze after that," she commented.

" Do I get a lollipop for being a good patient?"

" Will you settle for a kiss?" bargained Natalie.

" I suppose," he conceded half heartedly before Natalie leaned in and gave him a kiss which he eagerly returned.

" We may never get out of here if you don't stop kissing me like that," Natalie remarked reluctantly as she slowly pulled herself away.

" And the problem with that is?"

" Normally I would say there isn't one, but Helen is dropping Owen off at 5," she explained.

" Why didn't you say that before?" questioned Will, his face suddenly lighting up at the mere mention of Owen.

" I was trying to concentrate on getting your staples removed without impaling you."

" I can't help it if my ruggedly handsome good looks distracted you," he quipped with a grin. Natalie shook her head with a smile and began snipping the threads of Will's stitches.

" You're impossible."

* * *

" Do you want some help getting out of the car?" Natalie asked as she parked in front of her townhouse.

" I think I'm just...gonna live in here for a few days if that's okay with you," Will declared, letting out a long yawn.

" I guess that means I'll be sleeping alone then," responded Natalie nonchalantly.

" I think I can make it inside after all," he said before grabbing her outstretched hand and carefully climbing out onto the sidewalk. Natalie turned to go up the stairs and unlock the door, but was stopped by Will.

" Is something wrong?" she asked, her expression changing to one that was full of concern.

" Come here," replied Will, grabbing for her hand so that he could pull her into his arms.

I love you." The words brought a smile to Natalie's face as Will leaned in and kissed her.

" Love you too."

" Aren't you supposed to carry me over the threshold or something?" Will joked, climbing the stairs one by one. Natalie shook her head and laughed.

" I think you've got that backwards. Besides, I'm pretty sure you're supposed to be married first."

" Then in that case, I'll take a raincheck," responded Will.


	16. Feels Like Home

Author's note- I'm sorry this took so long to get done! Initially I had other ideas in mind when I wrote this chapter, but wound up scrapping those plans. The next chapter will be the final chapter...in this story at least. I had planned a sequel, but instead have a new Will/Natalie story in the works that I hope you'll enjoy even more! (It's loosely based off of the past few episodes- the writers are driving me insane with how they're handling Will/Nat. Anyways, the next story is a "theory" I've toyed with since all of the craziness with Nat started. I swear if they wind up screwing up what I consider to be a kick-a** storyline I'm petitioning to be added to the writing team haha.) Enjoy!

* * *

 _But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me_  
 _And I can almost see, through the dark there is light_

 _Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me_  
 _And how long I've waited for your touch_  
 _And if you knew how happy you are making me_  
 _I never thought that I'd love anyone so much_

 _It feels like home to me...  
~Chantel Kreviazuk~ Feels Like Home_

* * *

Will awoke some time later feeling both refreshed and somewhat confused. It only took him a few seconds to realize he was in Natalie's bedroom. What he couldn't figure out was why he was on top of the covers in all of his clothes. Normally there was little to no clothing involved when he was in her bed. As he sat up and stretched, Will could feel the tugging of the remaining stitches in his chest, reminding him of the injuries he had sustained. After wiping the sleep from his eyes, Will carefully swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood before making his way into the hallway. He could hear noise coming from the kitchen, indicating that he wasn't alone in the house. The enticing smell of Italian food hung heavy in the air, causing his stomach to rumble.

" Something smells amazing," Will declared, walking into the kitchen to find Helen standing at the stove.

" Did I wake you? I was trying to be quiet," she stated while stirring the contents of the pot in front of her.

" You're fine."

" Did you sleep well?"

" I did," he said, taking a seat at the kitchen counter.

Where are Natalie and Owen?"

" She went down to the store for more laundry soap. They should be back any minute," explained Helen, handing Will a glass of water.

" Thanks," he replied. Just a few seconds later the sound of keys in the front door echoed through the house.

* * *

" Nat, is that you?" called Will.

" You're up," she exclaimed, walking into the kitchen. Will immediately rose and gave Natalie a kiss before unbuckling Owen from the carrier Natalie was wearing. Owen shrieked in delight as Will strapped him into his high chair and took the seat across from him,

" Why don't you let me feed him so you can relax before dinner?"

" Are you sure you're up for it?" asked Natalie as she got out two containers of baby food and a spoon.

" I think we'll manage," Will declared while Owen anxiously watched Natalie drop a handful of Cheerios onto his tray.

" Do you want a bib in case he covers you in baby food again?" she joked.

" As long as you mix the green beans in with some sweet potatoes there's a lot less spitting."

" How?" she asked, wondering how he knew to do that.

" I've snuck down to daycare a few times to feed him lunch," he admitted, causing Natalie to smile.

" I'm going to go take a quick shower then if you don't need my help with dinner."

" Go right ahead," Helen replied. After Natalie exited, an awkward silence fell over the kitchen. Helen stood at the counter, watching Will and Owen as she opened a second jar of spaghetti sauce.

* * *

" I won't lie…"

" Excuse me?" Will hesitated, the spoon he was holding pausing in mid-air before he managed to connect it with Owen's mouth.

" It's not easy for me to watch you with Owen. Especially now as you take on more and more of a fatherly role. My son never got the chance to hold his own child or rock him to sleep."

" Helen. I…"

" Let me finish please," she interrupted.

As hard as it's been for me this past year, it's been just as heartbreaking to watch Natalie as she's experienced such pain and grief. After Jeff passed she put on a strong front and was determined to hold it together those remaining months of her pregnancy. I don't know how she did it. Despite what she would tell me, I knew his death was killing her. There were days I wondered if she'd ever be happy again or if I'd ever see her smile like she does."

" Her smile is amazing."

" Natalie is like a daughter to me Will. Looking back on everything now, you were there for her when she truly needed someone the most. I should have never said what I did to you. The truth is, I owe you what can never be repaid. When she's with you, she glows. Her eyes sparkle once again when she smiles. It's very clear just how much you love her and how much she loves you. She called me shortly after you were brought to the hospital and was nearly hysterical. The pain in her voice was something I had hoped to never hear again."

" I hope that's something I never have to hear," Will remarked.

" As do I. This past year and a half have been rough. You've been there for her when she needed someone the most. First Jeff...my heart breaks knowing Owen will never know…" Helen stopped mid-sentence, doing her best to choke back tears. Will finished feeding Owen what was left of the first container of baby food before standing and enveloping Helen in a hug.

* * *

" Owen will never forget who his father is. I'm sure of it. Natalie would never let that happen and neither will I. I know this all seems like it's moving much too quickly, but I've never been more sure of something in my life other than wanting to be a doctor. I don't intend on leaving any time soon. I never knew I could ever love anyone so much, but I find myself loving Natalie and Owen more every day." Helen's tears dried, a smile forming as Will sat back down with Owen. Out of nowhere, Natalie appeared now wearing black yoga pants and what appeared to be one of Will's t-shirts.

" Just in time," quipped Helen as she removed a tray of fresh garlic bread from the oven.

Can I fix you a plate?" she asked Will.

" Please do. I'm starving. I've been eating hospital food for two weeks."

" Hey now! I brought you that pizza from Luigi's!" Natalie argued, taking a seat beside Will.

" That had to be the best pizza I've ever had in my life," joked Will as Helen sat a heaping plate of food in front of him.

* * *

" Dinner was amazing," Will declared a short time later as he finished his last bite of spaghetti.

" Why don't you go lay down while I clean up? You look exhausted," pointed out Natalie.

" I won't argue with that," he said, standing up as he yawned. Will bent to give Natalie a kiss on the cheek then headed off down the hallway.

Much to Natalie's surprise she found Will wide awake when she entered her bedroom

" Is Owen in bed already?" he asked.

" Helen offered to give him his bath and put him to bed," she responded before climbing into bed beside Will.

" Is that my shirt?"

" It is. I did all of your laundry while you were sleeping."

" It looks good on you," Will said with a smile. Natalie blushed before laying her head on Will's shoulder.

" I hope it's not one of your favorites because I have no intentions of giving it back. It smells like you."

" I assume that's a good thing?"

" It's a mix of your cologne and Old Spice," Natalie explained as she grabbed the remote.

" You watch whatever you want. I think I'm done for the night," he conceded before pulling Natalie closer and kissing her goodnight.

" Love you."

" Love you too," Will replied, closing his eyes. Natalie found herself smiling as she watched him drift into a deep sleep. Her heart swelled with happiness, knowing how close she had come to losing him. Now, in this very moment, she couldn't imagine being anywhere else but enveloped in Will's arms.


	17. Calling You

_There's something that I can't quite explain_  
 _I'm so in love with you_  
 _You'll never take that away_  
 _And if I've said it a hundred times before_  
 _Expect a thousand more_  
 _You'll never take that away_

 _Well expect me to be_  
 _Calling you to see_  
 _If you're OK when I'm not around_  
 _Asking "if you love me"_

 _I love the way you make it sound..._  
 _~Blue October~ Calling You_

* * *

" Are you sure you have to go?" Natalie reluctantly asked Will a few days later.

" Jay took a few days off so we could spend some time together," explained Will.

Plus you're scheduled to work the rest of the week."

" Seems we're short staffed," she joked as they stopped at a red light.

" Hey now. Blame that on Rhodes. He's the one refusing to release me to come back to work."

" Jesus Will! You were just stabbed!"

" Three weeks ago!," he pointed out.

" Are we really going to have this conversation again?" Natalie challenged, her voice full of frustration. Will sighed, knowing he had struck a nerve. He waited until the car came to a stop in front of Jay's apartment building then turned to face Natalie.

" I'm sorry. I know I need to rest and let my body heal, but I miss working. I'm not used to having this much down time. I managed to get caught up on The Walking Dead and I finally finished Lost AND Breaking Bad. At this point I'm pretty sure my brain is going to turn to mush."

" What about those times I caught you watching HGTV?"

" I have no clue what you're talking about," said Will coyly.

" You just don't want anyone finding out you're a closet Flip or Flop fan," she joked.  
" Hey now!"

" I love you," Natalie replied, leaning in to kiss Will.

" Love you too," he replied, deepening the kiss.

" I can be late to work…" she suggested between kisses. Will paused to answer, but was interrupted by a loud knocking on the passenger window. He turned around to find a smug looking Jay standing on the sidewalk.

* * *

" If you two don't stop making out soon we're going to miss first pitch," he declared loudly.

" I'll call you later," Will muttered, his cheeks reddening before leaning in for one last kiss. He gave a quick wave to Owen in the backseat, watching longingly as they drove away.

" Dude."

" What?" challenged Will.

" Nothing," Jay responded, resisting the urge to bust his brother's balls.

" So tell me again how you managed to get these tickets on such short notice?"

" One of my CI's is a scalper," said Jay nonchalantly.

" Is this the same guy that you got the World Series tickets from?" Will asked as they began walking.

" No. That's Jack. He's in prison again," said Jay, coming up to the stairs leading to the train platform. Beside him Will suddenly paused, his face going pale.

" What's wrong? Are you okay?" asked his older brother worriedly.

" I'm fine. It's just...the last time I was here I wound up with a gun shoved in my back."

" Shit man. We don't have to take the train. I can go back and grab the truck if you want me to?"

" No. I can't avoid riding the EL for the rest of my life," Will declared, placing a hand on the railing.

" Are you sure?"

" Positive. Last one to the top of the platform owes the other a beer," said Will, racing up the empty staircase.

" No fair! You got a head start," Jay yelled, taking the stairs two at a time in attempts to catch up to his brother.

* * *

Several hours, several beers a piece, and a Cub's win later, Will and Jay collapsed in a tired heap on Jay's couch.

" We need to do that more often," commented Will.

" Agreed. Sorry it took you almost dying to get me to another Cub's game," Jay quipped.

" Do you remember that time we snuck into the stadium as kids?" asked Will, stretching out so his feet wound up in his brother's lap. Jay shoved them aside then fell into the nearby recliner.

" We snuck out after Dad passed out then scaled a fence outside the ballpark."

" We would have gotten away with it too if you hadn't snagged your brand new jeans on the fence and ripped half the leg off. I thought Mom was going to kill you when she got home from work the next morning."

" Jay Allen Halstead. What in the hell happened to your pants?" mimicked Jay, nailing his impression of their late mother.

" We both got our ass beat."

" I'm not the one that told that ridiculous story about being chased by the neighbor's chihuahua," insisted Jay.

" That thing was vicious!"

" Too bad Cuddles was overweight and never ran a day in its life!"

" I panicked," Will declared with a yawn.

" Whatever happened to Cuddles?"

"Pretty sure Zach Harris ran over her with his dirt bike," he responded, his eyes growing heavy.

" Are you falling asleep?"

" Maybe," Will muttered as Jay grabbed the remote. Just a few minutes later the sounds of Will's snores filled the room.

* * *

" Wake up Sleeping Beauty." Will slowly opened up his eyes, just in time to find a throw pillow being hurled at his face.

" How long was I out?" he asked, sitting up.

" A good three hours. Natalie stopped by a little bit ago, but you were sawing logs."

" You should have woken me up!" Will argued.

" She wouldn't let me," explained Jay as Will grabbed his phone and initiated a Facetime call. A few short seconds later Natalie's face popped up on the screen.

" Hey beautiful."

" Stop it. You're making me blush."

" It's true."

" How was the game?" she asked.

" Hot. I missed you two."

" We missed you too."

" God. You two are making me sick," declared Jay as he sat down on the couch, putting a pizza box in between them.

" Hi Jay," said Natalie, waving as Will panned the phone over beside him.

" Hey Nat," Jay yelled, grabbing a slice of pizza.

He's pissed I didn't wake him up when you stopped by."

" Let him be," she replied before Will turned the phone back.

" Is Owen in bed yet?"

" I just put him down and was heading to bed myself actually. Am I going to see you this weekend? I'm off Saturday."

" I hope so. Maybe we can take Owen to the park."

" He'd love that," said Natalie, doing her best to stifle a yawn.

" Don't let me keep you up. I just wanted to say good night and I love you," declared Will, ignoring the sounds of Jay pretending to retch in the background.

" I love you too." Jay stopped eating long enough to watch a smile spread across his brother's face as the screen went black.

" You are so…"

" What?"

" Head over heals in love. Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

" What do you mean?" Will asked, grabbing a second slice of pizza.

" It's just...such a stark contrast from when you were in college and said you weren't a one woman man. And you certainly weren't interested in having kids."

" Things change. People change. I don't know...maybe it's time I settle down."

* * *

Author's Note: So this was initially the final chapter...but it got ridiculously long with too much going on. So I split the chapter and will be posting the final chapter within the week...or maybe sooner if I finish it before then ;)


	18. Invincible

I can't be held responsible  
This is all so new to me  
Just when I think I'm invincible  
You come and happen to me

I want to make sure everything is perfect for you  
If you only knew  
That's not like me to follow through  
Maybe even give up all these dead end dreams  
Just to be with you  
~Crossfade~ Invincible

Author's note: It feels so bittersweet writing and publishing the last chapter of this story! It's been my "baby" for so long it feels weird finishing it! This chapter may have been the most "bizarre" chapter of the story in that I had planned for it to go one way and instead it went in a different direction. The chapter almost wrote itself on "autopilot." I hope you all enjoy this last chapter and the story as a whole. (I also just realized that I never explained the chapter titles. Taking a page out of Shonda Rhimes' book with Grey's Anatomy, I chose a song title for each chapter that embodies the gist of the chapter and/or the mood I'm trying to convey.)

Stay tuned..."Make This Go On Forever" will be here before you know it! It's a Will/Natalie "love story" done the only way I know how to write love stories: full of angst and suspense.

* * *

" Hey man...wake up. Nat's on the phone." Will pried open his eyes slowly the next morning to once again find Jay standing over him.

" Why do you have my phone?" he asked, somewhat confused.

" You left it on the couch when you went to bed last night," Jay explained, handing Will his iPhone before walking back out.

" What time is it?" questioned Will.

" 6:30. I woke you up, didn't I?" asked Natalie.

" You're fine. Are you on your way to work?"

" Yes and no," she answered. In the background Will could hear Owen's cries.

" What's wrong?" Will asked, suddenly wide awake and full of worry.

" I think Owen's got an ear infection- he's been up all night screaming."

" Do you need me to come stay with him?"

" Would you? I hate even asking, but Helen is out of town and daycare won't take him when he has a fever."

" It's fine. When do you need me to be there?"

" I'm actually outside your place right now," she said.

" I'll be down in five minutes," Will declared before hanging up. In a rush he pulled on a pair of khaki shorts and a grey t-shirt before heading to the living room in search of his keys.

" What's up?" Jay asked, in the midst of a push up.

" Owen is sick and Natalie needs someone to stay with him," he explained as he put on a pair of sandals then headed out the door.

* * *

Will found Natalie's SUV parked directly outside of the apartment building when he exited. He instinctively climbed into the backseat beside Owen, taking Natalie by surprise.

" That was quick," she said as Will shut the door and fastened his seatbelt.

" I was worried," Will answered, grabbing for a pacifier out of Owen's reach and giving it back to him.

When does the pediatrician's office open?"

" Not until 9," Natalie responded, obviously frustrated.

" Why don't I just have someone check him over at work?" Will suggested as Owen grabbed for him.

" That would be great, but I can't expect you to do that on top of everything else. I'll just take him on my break. You're already…"

" Nat...I don't mind. It's one less thing you'd have to worry about. Plus the sooner we get this guy some medicine the sooner he starts feeling better," he reasoned while Natalie pulled into a parking spot just outside of the ER. Owen once again began screaming as soon as the car stopped.

" Hang on a minute bud." Natalie reached into the backseat and unbuckled an extremely unhappy Owen from his carseat.

You're going to have to help me figure this thing out," Will declared as he got out, buckling the spare baby carrier Natalie had in the car around his waist. Despite Owen's screaming, she found herself overcome with emotion watching Will fight with the carrier.

" Take him," said Natalie, handing him Owen.

Put this strap over your shoulder. The big part goes behind him for support. Now the other strap. Then reach back and buckle the part by your shoulders. How does that feel?"

" Perfect," he responded, smiling as Owen quietly snuggled up against him.

" That's the quietest he's been since last night."

" Guess you should have called me sooner." Natalie found herself smiling, taking in the sight of her now content son as the three of them walked into the ER.

What's wrong?"

" Nothing," she replied, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes.

" Are you sure?"

" Mhmm." Natalie leaned in, first kissing Owen's head, then Will.

I love you Will Halstead."

* * *

"What are you doing here?" questioned Maggie, coming up behind Will who had just grabbed a tablet from the nurse's station.

" Who's on today?"

" Stoll…"

" Hell no," he interjected.

Choi?"

" He's not on til 10. What's going on? Is Owen okay?"

" It's probably just an ear infection. I'd check him out, but I'm blocked in the system until Rhodes signs off on my return."

" That and the fact it would extremely unethical," quipped the nurse.

" When have ethics been my strong suite?"

" Never. Dr. Sexton should be finishing up with his patient soon. I'll send him your way."

" Thanks Mags. We'll be in the lounge," Will said, pulling his phone out to text Natalie before entering the doctor's lounge.

" Hey do you mind pouring me a cup?" Will asked, walking in to find Connor by the coffee maker.

" You really can't get enough of this place, can you?"

" Nat called me this morning and asked if I could watch Owen. We rode in with her," he explained, taking a seat on the couch.

" How are you doing?" questioned Connor as he handed Will his coffee.

" Other than being bored as hell?"

" Other than being bored as hell," Connor stated, pouring himself a cup.

" I can't really complain. I'm mainly getting caught up on sleep at this point."

" Glad to hear it," declared Connor as the door opened and Noah stepped in.

" Maggie said you were looking for me?"

" Would you mind checking his ears for me? The pediatrician's office doesn't open until later and they really seem to be bothering him," said Will, carefully standing as to not disturb Owen.

" I ran into Dr. Manning in the hall and she filled me in," explained Noah, leading them in into an exam room.

* * *

" GET OFF OF ME!" screamed the patient next door.

" What's going on over there?"

" Mr. Ericsson is high on PCP again."

" Who is he today? Spiderman or Batman?"

" The Incredible Hulk actually," commented Noah, carefully looking into each of Owen's ears, somehow managing not to wake him.

" His left ear looks much worse than the right, but they're both red and inflamed. I'll send a prescription down to the pharmacy for an antibiotic and send April in with some Tylenol for his fever."

" Thanks Noah," replied Will, watching as the young doctor exited.

* * *

Even with the door pulled shut he could hear the nonsensical screams from Mr. Ericsson, the shouting growing louder when Connor entered the exam room.

" Is Rhodes trying to perform an exorcism or something in there?" Will joked as April slid the door open.

" Mr. Ericsson has signs of internal bleeding but is refusing to let Connor treat him." The racket next door came to an abrupt and worrisome quiet halt, followed Connor's shouts for security. Will turned just in time to see the gentleman's fist punch through the glass door, sending shards flying.

" Mr. Ericsson! You need to calm down and let me examine you!"

" Examine this!" growled the man as he took hold of Connor's shoulders and shoved him with such force he cracked his head against a counter before falling to the floor.

" Get me some Haldol," Will said firmly, unbuckling the baby carrier so he was now holding Owen.  
" What are you going to do?"  
" Just get me the Haldol!"

" You're locked out of the system. I can't!" she said exasperatedly.  
" Take him." Will handed the sleeping child over to April, before punching a series of numbers into the keypad that locked the drug cart. A light turned green, allowing him to quickly grab a syringe.

" How?"

" Don't ask," muttered Will, shutting the door behind him as he stepped out into the ER. Without hesitation he rushed Mr. Ericsson, grabbing him from behind and jabbing the needle into his flesh. Seconds later the patient stumbled into the waiting arms of a group of security guards that appeared from around the corner.

" How did you bypass the system?" asked Connor, wincing from pain as he sat up from the floor.

" I used your security code. You might want to change that," Will suggested.

You're bleeding."

" I'm fine," he insisted, grabbing onto Will's outstretched hand. Once he was upright, Connor found himself feeling dizzy, his gait unsteady as he attempted to take a step unassisted.

" Sure you are," declared Will, ushering Connor into the room he and Owen had just been in.

* * *

" I'm assuming that was Haldol you gave him?" Connor asked, sitting down on the gurney.

" Correction- you gave him," he said. Without warning, Dr. Stoll barged into the room.

" What in the hell happened? I went to lunch and came back to find my ER in chaos."

" Mr. Ericsson is coming off another PCP bender," Will commented.

" Dr. Halstead. If I remember correctly you're still on medical leave. You shouldn't even be here," Stoll declared with a glare.

" He's not on leave. I cleared him to return to work," interjected Connor.

" Not according to this he's not!" Connor leaned forward and grabbed Stoll's tablet.

" Must have been an oversight," he replied, tapping away at the screen before handing it back.

" I expect these sort of shenanigans from Dr. Halstead, but not from you Dr. Rhodes," he professed, his face turning red as he stomped off.

" I haven't seen him so pissed since I stuffed his office full of Treasure Trolls," Will commented, pulling on a pair of gloves.

" That was you? Where the hell did you get all of them?"

" Maggie ordered them off eBay," he remarked, shining Connor's pinlight into his eyes.  
" Is that really necessary?" the doctor challenged, trying to shield his face.

" It is if you have a concussion."

" I don't have time to worry about a concussion. I've got surgery scheduled soon."

" Cancel it. You sustained blunt force head trauma," Will stated, gently examining the cut to Connor's head.

" Just stitch up the cut and I'll get a CT after surgery," he argued.

" Not happening."

" You know you're an ass, right?"

" So I've heard," responded Will as April walked into the room.

How's Owen?"

" Awake and hungry. Monique has him in the lounge."

" I think Natalie put a cooler of pumped milk in the fridge. You should only have to warm it up and dump it in a bottle."

" Anything else?"

" Can you babysit him for a minutes while I go get a suture kit and order a CT?"

" Sure," responded April with a smile.

" I don't need a babysitter!" Connor yelled as Will walked out.

* * *

" I hear you had an eventful morning," said Natalie a few hours later.

" I'll babysit this guy over a concussed Rhodes any day," Will proclaimed, hoisting a much happier Owen onto his shoulders.

" When you spend time with Owen it's far from babysitting," she pointed out, following the two out of the lounge.

" I had to threaten Rhodes with restraints before he stopped trying to convince me to let him go operate."

" He's certainly dedicated. That's for sure," acknowledged Natalie as they stopped at the nurse's station.

I'll drop you two off at my place and then I can drive you back to your place tonight after I'm off."

" About that," Will started, but was interrupted by Connor who had just come out of the exam room he was in.

" Come in on Monday and I'll get you on my schedule. Meanwhile, my keys are in my locker and I'm taking the EL home so I can sleep in my own bed," Connor proclaimed before walking out the ambulance bay doors.

* * *

" What were you saying?" Natalie asked, turning her attention back to Will and Owen.

" What if I don't I want to go back to Jay's?" questioned Will.

" Where else would you go?" she responded.

" You're missing the point of what I'm trying to say," he said, pausing.

Jay's place doesn't feel like home anymore. The two most important people in my life aren't there."

" Are you trying to make me cry again?" challenged Natalie, her eyes tearing up.

" Nat. I love you and Owen more than I thought I could ever love anyone. I know all of this seems like it's happening so fast. Something positive has to come out of all of this. If the past few weeks have taught me anything, it's that life's too short. We could waste time doing things the right way, or we can take what's been handed to us and run with it."

" What are you saying?"

" Let's go home," Will declared, grabbing her hand.


End file.
